• The algorithm: every major growth (spurt at Portcities) came from forcing ourselves into discomfort.

• Growing with opportunities: I misjudged a 7,000-employee giant as a “small village shop” because my GPS took me to a Kampung.

• The Crash: That success intoxicated us. We expanded to 10+ countries, grew too fast, and hit a wall.

• The new chapter: We just merged with Phidias in France. Here is why we chose stability over speed this time.

  ---

Hi,

I wrote this piece from Marseille airport on the way back to Singapore, after 2 intensive weeks to close the Phidias acquisition and initiate the merger with Portcities France. Back to this later.

Today, I want to talk about “going out of your comfort zone” and then how it brought me to the Phidias merger.

If you know me, you know I am not a natural-born entrepreneur. Deep down, I am a reserved geek.

Since my childhood, I have been terrible at communication and catastrophic at foreign languages. So, I did what any engineer’s mind would do when facing a bug: I forced a hard reset.

When it was time to go to college, I chose the path to business school, the antithesis of my personality, just to force myself to become extroverted. Then, to start my career, I took a one-way ticket to Tegal, Indonesia.

This philosophy of “seeking discomfort” is my algorithm to perform and how we built Portcities.

Agenda

1. The furniture factory

2. Indonesia: a large but not easy market.

3. Growing with opportunities: the story of the cosmetic workshop

4. The complexity trap and the focus on stability

5. Merging with Phidias

   ---

1. The furniture factory

Tegal is not Bali. It is a working-class city in Central Java.

My mission was to improve logistics for a furniture factory with 1,100 people. I started by trying to fix their Excel sheets. Soon enough, we concluded we needed an ERP. We used Odoo version 6 or 7 for one pragmatic reason: cost.

2. Indonesia: a large but not easy market.

In 2015, my job at the furniture factory became too comfortable. Routine set in. Time to get out.

On February 15, 2015, I rented a house in Semarang. The deal was simple: the employees lived in the bedrooms, and we worked in the garage. Portcities Indonesia was born. We wanted to grow like an American startup, but with bootstrapped means.

The environment forged us. Southeast Asia is obsessed with “low cost.” Why invest in IT when you can hire 10 more admins for cheap?

Especially in the early days, the daily rate for an Odoo consultant was very low, so we needed to scale to pay European-level salaries.

This forced us to be frugal, ambitious, and tough.

We made it and built the largest Odoo partner.

3. Growing with opportunities: the story of the cosmetic workshop

In our early days, I was hunting for business in Jakarta, the capital (with over 30m people!).

I found a prospect: Paragon (Wardah group). Their website said 4,500 employees.

After riding for about 50 minutes on my motorbike, I arrived in a “Kampung” (Indonesian for “traditional village”) neighborhood inside the city. I pulled up to a big house. I thought: “It’s a small local business, the website is outdated.”

I was right, they didn’t have 4,500 employees, they had 7,000 by now.

Wardah was a small cosmetic workshop that had a sudden exponential growth for 20 years in a row. The “big house” was their first office, and I realized later that their HQ was the entire street, as they bought all the houses one by one and partially glued them together. A few kilometers away, they had three mega-factories and 2 being built. Welcome to Asia!

That won’t be easy, but we took the challenge. We started small and gave 110% for this client. They asked me to move fast… After 15 months or so, we had 15 full-time staff on the project. We made a few mistakes, and part of the project didn’t work well, but we onboarded hundreds of users on Odoo all over the country.

This is one of the “stories” of how we went all in on the best opportunities coming to us and how we learned.

4. The complexity trap and the focus on stability

Such stories pushed our luck, and we started to love big opportunities. We sent young talent to open offices in Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore. I went to Mexico and Japan. We opened up to 13 countries.

The problem? Complexity compounds, and such a network of companies is more difficult to manage than we thought.

We lacked all the key ingredients: experience, scale, and cash. We learned brutal lessons and had to close some offices.

So, it took time scaling down and fixing the foundation. We structured our back office, organized our outsourcing centers, and stabilized our operations. To leverage our 9 remaining offices, we still need the scale.

We need to be the leader or at least a significant player in each country. We want to be leaders in our key markets.

5. Merging with Phidias

France is our most strategic market in the short term. We had the international experience and scale, but we lacked local touch, and started networking. Even competitors had become neighbors and then partners.

For over a year, our Marseille team worked alongside a local pioneer: Phidias

A small 20-year-old “Odoo boutique” founded by two engineers, Jean-Marie Micallef (Sales & Management) and Daniel Deyris (Tech). Jean-Marie was ready to retire. We proposed a takeover, but he had one non-negotiable condition:

“You must legally commit to keeping the entire team.”

I knew then we were dealing with an entrepreneur of integrity. The values matched ours.

On January 23 2026, we signed, and the merger officially started.

Meet “Portcities Phidias”

This isn’t just a buyout. It’s a fusion of two DNAs:

• Portcities: International ambition and rapid scaling.

• Phidias: Local expertise, technical depth, and 20 years of stability.

To run this new machine, we appointed a duo we call “The Nico²“:

• Nicolas Grill: Founder of Portcities France.

• Nicolas Micallef: Former Commercial Director of Phidias.

Now we have 2 short-term priorities

• Ensure all employees and clients have a smooth transition, so nobody leaves.

• Integrate the systems and processes to have one new business, with the best of both.

Best,

Gaspard

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Ps: We are hiring Odoo people in Marseille. Willingness to go out of your comfort zone is a plus ;-)

• Jobs in Marseille, France

• About Portcities France

• About Phidias

Welcome to issue #33 of Odoo Trailblazer, our journey to become the #1 Odoo partner.

I’m writing to you from 40,000 feet above the Indian Ocean, flying from Singapore to Marseille. Singapore is the city of relentless innovation, and you now see AI advertised everywhere.

It reminds me of the blockchain hype a few years ago.

Yes, the AI revolution is very different, but to some extent, it is also the same.

TL;DR:

• AI is a multiplier: It multiplies the quality of your data. If your data is bad, AI just helps you make bad decisions faster.

• Don’t build software: Custom software is a liability. Adopt a standard platform (ERP) to build a solid foundation.

• The 4 IT Revolutions: You cannot skip a step. You need Software, the Internet, and IoT (Real-time data) before you can use AI.

• Why Odoo: It is the only platform that unifies all 4 layers without the technical debt of legacy giants.

  ---

I vividly remembered a meeting with a potential Asian client a few months back. It was with a director of a midmarket firm. All we could hear and read was “We need AI.”

Not speaking about specific problems they wanted AI to solve, their answer was the same: “We need AI.”

I’ve seen that many times in the past, when clients were asking for IoT or blockchain, but when you looked at their data, they were not yet able to know their inventory level or real COGS (cost of goods sold).

Often, they have a very advanced “in-house power engine”, but the reality is often dozens of disconnected systems and many spreadsheets.

They want to run a Ferrari engine (AI) on a bicycle frame (Excel).

I’ve spent the last decade implementing software (essentially Odoo) for companies ranging from small startups to large enterprises. I’ve seen what works, and I’ve seen expensive disasters.

Today, I want to share my vision on the evolution of IT, why “building” your own software is a trap, and why you need a boring ERP strategy before you can have an exciting AI strategy.

Agenda

1. The 4 IT revolutions: How we got here.

2. The stacking effect: why benefits stack, but complexity stacks faster.

3. The hype distraction: why you are looking at the wrong thing.

4. Don’t build software: the “unique snowflake” syndrome.

5. The ERP strategy: your business needs a central brain.

6. Why Odoo: The foundation for the future.

   ---

1. The 4 IT revolutions

We didn’t get to the age of AI overnight. In my view, businesses have gone through four distinct revolutions.

Most people treat these as a timeline, but they are actually layers of pressure.

• Revolution 1: integrated software ( = data & automation). We moved from paper to digital. We could finally track data and automate basic calculations.

• Revolution 2: the cloud and internet ( = connectivity). Suddenly, headquarters could talk to branches. Employees could email clients. Systems started to link up.

• Revolution 3: mobile & IoT ( = the real world in real time). Software left the office and went to the factory floor, the delivery truck, and the warehouse worker’s pocket. We started capturing data at the source.

• Revolution 4: AI ( = leverage). This is where we are now. AI leverages all that previous data to boost productivity exponentially.

  ---

2. The stacking effect

Here is the catch: these benefits stack up.

You cannot skip a step.

(Unless you’re trying to skip leg day, but that’s a different kind of technical debt.)

If you want the benefits of revolution 4 (AI), you need the foundation from the 3 previous phases: integrated software, connectivity, and mobile/IoT.

But here’s what most people miss: benefits stack, but complexity stacks faster.

Let’s look at a concrete example: modern retail.

I learned this while working with Alibaba in Mexico on an omnichannel project. Everyone thinks the bottleneck in e-commerce is the website or the “tech.”

It isn’t. The bottleneck is logistics.

To achieve a true “Omnichannel” experience (where a customer buys online, picks up in-store, and returns via courier), you need the first three revolutions working perfectly:

1. Software: your warehouse needs an ERP to know you have the item.

2. Internet: your e-commerce site needs to talk to that warehouse in real-time.

3. Mobile/IoT: the store clerk needs a handheld scanner to reserve that item the second the order comes in, before a walk-in customer buys it.

4. AI Layer: The AI noticed this shirt is selling fast in Singapore and automatically triggered a supplier order 3 days ago, so you wouldn’t stock out today.

The Point: If one layer fails (for example, if the scanner isn’t synced to the software in real-time), the AI makes the wrong decision. It re-orders stock you already have, or sells stock you don’t have. The customer is angry, and you lose money.

If any of these layers fail, the whole system breaks. And if you try to apply AI to predict inventory without that real-time data foundation, your AI is just guessing.

3. Business leaders are wrongly distracted by the hype

This is where I see leaders failing. They focus on the “hype” tech before getting the fundamentals right.

AI is a multiplier.

Years ago, everyone wanted Blockchain to “revolutionize their supply chain,” even though they were still managing inventory on Excel spreadsheets.

Now, everyone wants AI to “optimize their workforce,” but they don’t even have a centralized HR system to track who is working on what project.

I see it every week. Companies want ChatGPT wrappers and predictive forecasting, but their inventory data is 3 days old because “the systems only sync at night.”

If your data is bad, AI just helps you make bad decisions faster.

You need to refocus on the fundamentals. You must earn the right to use AI by fixing the foundation first.

4. Do not build software

I have to be humble here: we made this mistake, too.

In the past, even at Port Cities, we fell into the trap of over-customizing Odoo for our clients. Sometimes, we even tried to build tools in-house instead of reusing what already worked.

We thought we were special. We thought our needs were unique.

But I will say it again: stop trying to build your own software.

I see so many companies falling into the “Builder’s trap.” They almost always fail.

Building software is incredibly complicated. Maintaining it is even harder. In the 2000s, building custom software was a competitive advantage. Today, it is a liability.

• Bad Strategy: building your own CRM or Accounting system from scratch. (70% failure rate, high maintenance).

• Good Strategy: Adopt a platform that covers 90% of the standard, and only “build” the 10% that is your specific secret sauce.

The Catchphrase: “Ownership is a liability. Agility is the asset.”

Every line of custom code you write is technical debt you must maintain. Winners today don’t build; they compose. They take a robust platform and configure it. They assume: ‘If my process doesn’t fit the standard software, maybe my process is the problem.’

5. You need an ERP strategy

If you don’t build software, you might be tempted to buy 50 different “best-in-breed” SaaS applications.

For the last 15 years, this was the dominant IT strategy. You bought Salesforce for sales, QuickBooks for finance, Mailchimp for marketing, and Jira for projects.

You are not alone in this mess.

In 2024, the average large enterprise is juggling 112 different SaaS applications.

Then you spent millions trying to glue them together.

The Cost: You spend more money connecting them than using them. Data acts like a liquid; every time you move it between pipes (software), you leak some.

You end up managing API connections, data syncing issues, and conflicting databases. You lose the “single source of truth.”

The Solution: an ERP strategy isn’t about buying one big tool; it’s about Data Unity.

You need a central nervous system for your company. You need one place where all your data lives, talks, and integrates. Without this, you cannot have real-time data. And without real-time data, you cannot have the AI revolution.

6. Why Odoo? The foundation for the future

We have looked at the market. We have implemented SAP, we have seen Oracle, and we have worked with custom stacks.

We have not found a better foundation than Odoo.

This is why we bet our career and our company on Odoo.

I am not saying this just because we sell it. I am saying it because Odoo is the only platform that scaled horizontally (covering all 4 revolutions: Web, Backend, Mobile, AI) without the technical debt of the giants like SAP or Oracle.

Why? Because Odoo understands the “Stacking Effect.”

1. It covers Revolution 1 (solid apps for every department).

2. It is web-based (Revolution 2).

3. It has native mobile apps and IoT boxes for the shop floor (Revolution 3).

4. And now, Odoo is integrating AI directly into the platform (Revolution 4).

It allows us to execute the strategy I just described:

• Standardize your core.

• Connect your workforce.

• Clean your data.

• Unlock the value of the 4th revolution (AI).

Odoo allows you to stop building and start integrating. It gives you the ERP strategy you need to actually leverage the hype, rather than just talking about it.

Conclusion

I know it’s not sexy to talk about ERPs in 2026. It’s much cooler to talk about Large Language Models (LLM) and autonomous agents.

But if you want to win in the next 10 years, you don’t need more hype. You need discipline.

The companies that win in the next decade won’t be the ones with the flashiest AI. They will be the ones with the cleanest data and the most unified platforms.

You need to stop building custom toys, consolidate your data, and build a boring, solid foundation. Once you do that, the AI revolution will be easy for you.

We are still learning how to perfect this for our clients, but the vision is clear.

What do you think? Are you still trying to glue “best-in-breed” apps together, or have you moved to a unified platform?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Best,

Gaspard

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P.S. If you are struggling to fix your foundation, drop us a line. We’ve helped hundreds of companies stop building and start growing.

Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates: Gaspard (Founder & CEO), or Port Cities (our company page).

Welcome to issue #32 of Odoo Trailblazer, our journey to become the #1 Odoo partner.

I am finally back to sharing my newsletter!

Many of you asked me about it when we met in person at Odoo Experience last September. It warmed my heart to see that people actually read this, and it gave me the motivation to restart.

Where have I been? Well, I moved to Singapore in April 2025.

In many ways, it reminds me of Tokyo. It is clean, safe, and efficient. I admit, I miss the Japanese culture and that unique level of care they put into everything.

But I must say... I enjoy the effectiveness (and the taxes) of Singapore.

(”Ohh, the capitalist!” I hear you say. Yes, I am. I stand for efficiency in businesses and in governments.)

But today, I want to talk about something less efficient: hiring salespeople.

I touched on this in my LinkedIn post yesterday, but I want to go deeper here into the “Veteran Trap” and why I failed to manage experienced hires.

Agenda

• The “Veteran” Trap (It’s not what you think)

• My failure: The fear of giving feedback

• The 70% Filter

• How Odoo can (and can’t) help

• Conclusion

1. The “Veteran” Trap (It’s not what you think)

I won’t share specific horror stories today, but looking back at my 10 years as an entrepreneur, I realize a pattern.

I have made many bad hiring decisions. But the most painful ones weren’t the “bad” candidates. They were very good, experienced people who joined our firm and ended the wrong way.

Why?

In the Odoo ecosystem (and complex B2B sales in general), success comes from being hands-on. You need to open the database, understand the product, and configure the demo.

The problem I found with some “veteran” hires is that they tend to be less hands-on. They are used to having a pre-sales engineer do the technical work.

They are slower to learn the product because they rely on their “sales instinct” rather than product expertise.

In Odoo, if you don’t know the product, you can’t sell the solution.

2. My failure: The fear of giving feedback

This is the hard truth I have to admit: The failure was often mine.

When you hire someone with 15 years of experience, someone who has sold millions in software before, you get “impressed.” You assume they know what they are doing.

So when they start underperforming, or when they refuse to log activities in the CRM, you hesitate.

I was scared to give them brutal feedback. I thought, “Who am I to tell this veteran how to sell?”

So I let things slide. I didn’t enforce our standards. And by the time I realized they weren’t learning the product or delivering results, it was too late. The cost—in salary and lost opportunity—was massive.

3. The 70% Filter

“But Gaspard,” you ask, “don’t you do case studies?”

Yes, we do. We give candidates a case study to test their skills. But I’ve learned that it only filters out about 70% of the bad fits.

A veteran salesperson can often “hack” a case study with charisma and presentation skills. They can sell the idea of the solution without actually understanding the mechanics of Odoo.

We are still looking for that perfect test that reveals if someone is truly willing to get their hands dirty.

(Note: I must add that we do have a few “older” and experienced people performing very well in our team today. You will recognize yourselves! This is just a reminder that there is no strict playbook in entrepreneurship. Generalities are useful for learning, but exceptions build the business.)

4. How Odoo can (and can’t) help

Usually, in this section, I tell you how we use Odoo to solve a problem.

We use Odoo Recruitment to manage our pipeline of candidates. It helps to cut overheads but not to hire better candidates.

Odoo doesn’t solve all business challenges, unfortunately.

Odoo (or any software) cannot fix a bad hiring decision. It cannot give feedback to an underperforming senior manager for you. It cannot replace the intuition you need to develop as a leader.

Software makes us efficient, but it doesn’t make great entrepreneurs (yet!). That part is up to us.

5. Conclusion

I am still learning how to balance “respect for experience” with the “demand for hands-on results.”

If you are a founder, don’t be dazzled by a resume. If they don’t learn the product, they can’t help you. And don’t be afraid to give feedback, even to people older or more experienced than you.

It feels good to be writing again. I’ll see you next week (from Singapore!).

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Did I miss anything? How do you manage senior hires who underperform? Let me know in the comments.

Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates: Gaspard (Founder & CEO), or Port Cities (our company page).

To know more about Port Cities and how we help companies use Odoo (business software), visit our website.

Big companies need big-name solutions, right? Not necessarily.

In this issue, I'm calling BS on that stereotype with the story of how the Australian and New Zealand arm of Allnex, a €2.1 billion global resin coating manufacturing giant, unexpectedly thrived by using...Odoo. 

Yeah, THAT open-source ERP suite marketed for “small businesses and startups.”

Intrigued? Good, because this implementation was wilder than you think.

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A Leap into ERP Flexibility

First, some context: Allnex is a worldwide leader in making coating resins and additives across over 100 countries. 

But when their Australian and New Zealand branches needed to replace their decrepit Microsoft Dynamics AX system, the corporate SAP template was a total overkill for their quirky B2C retail division spanning 10 trade stores.

See, this niche operation combined Allnex's usual industrial manufacturing WITH  their new retail model, which sells resins and gel coats to surfers and tradespeople. 

That’s why they needed retail smarts like point-of-sale alongside traditional manufacturing/distribution ERP capabilities.

And here is where the “scrappy” Odoo suite surprisingly emerged as the perfect underdog fit. It offers similar ERP might as SAP but with integrated retail tools—all unified on one lean platform tailored to Allnex's needs.

Customization for Compliance and Efficiency

But implementing Odoo as Allnex's ERP wasn't always smooth sailing. 

The project manager, Charles Pierrard, admitted, "One mistake our team made was underestimating Odoo's standard planning functionality initially." They had to heavily customize the manufacturing module, with Pierrard noting they "stayed transparent about the issues and worked together to define and test the custom developments needed."

Beyond manufacturing, they rolled out a full 8-app Odoo suite covering everything from sales and purchases to quality control and accounting across both countries. They even built a multi-instance environment separating Allnex's Odoo retail business from their SAP-run construction operations.

Fun fact: Using two ERPs can be a good financial decision for companies looking to save costs but still benefit from both systems.

A Surprisingly Collaborative Implementation

The implementation's success stemmed from a strategic approach of meticulous analysis and aligning Odoo's functions with Allnex's priorities through collaborative proof-of-concept testing. 

As Pierrard highlighted, "The customer's ERP implementation experience with great change management and risk communication helped. We worked as partners, looking for solutions together."

Pierrard also commended the "professionalism in project management and reporting" from both teams, which was crucial for rolling out the systems to 10 locations for around 160 users each. 

Not bad for an open-source suite typically deployed at small fry operations, no?

Allnex's project team offers this advice for other big companies considering lean ERP alternatives:

• Ensure the chosen software seamlessly fits your processes to avoid costly redevelopment

• Partner with experienced ERP experts who actually understand your unique needs

• Dedicate sufficient time to process optimization and organizational change management

By taking this strategic approach with Odoo partner Portcities, Allnex transformed their retail operations. They now have an agile system automating workflows across manufacturing, distribution, and retail - improving productivity and customer experience.

The takeaway? 

Even giants can pivot to modern, lightweight platforms when bloated legacy systems clash with new business realities. Odoo proved a surprisingly nimble alternative for Allnex's B2C retail needs.

You can read more implementation details in the full case study. I hope you learn a valuable lesson: Allnex's unconventional ERP choice shows big doesn't always mandate an über-suite.

Thank you so much for your time! 🙏

If you like the concept of the newsletter:

1. Please give some feedback so the newsletter can be improved. Reach out or comment on Substack or LinkedIn

2. Subscribe & Like!

3. Share this link on LinkedIn and with your friends! It helps the newsletter reach more people who might want to know why grocery retailers need an ERP and how to grow their retail with Odoo. Plus, it shows your support.

Know someone who wants to implement Odoo? Great! My company offers implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises & corporations

Looking forward to your continued support and engagement!

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“The reality is that not all software solutions are created equal when it comes to scalability.”

Greetings, fellow tech enthusiasts! As I navigated the bustling streets of Tokyo, dodging the occasional wayward cyclist, I found myself pondering a question that's been on the minds of many business leaders:

Can enterprise software truly handle the scale of big and complex operations?

You see, we live in an era where data is king, and businesses are generating more information than ever before.

From item documentation generated by a sales transaction, your communication with your prospect, sending digital quotations and proposals, to updating shipping notes - Literally, every process leaves a digital footprint...

And while the promise of streamlined operations and real-time insights is enticing, the reality is that not all software solutions are created equal when it comes to scalability.

At Portcities, we've had the privilege of working with companies of all sizes, from nimble startups to multinational behemoths. 

And let me tell you, the challenges of implementing enterprise software at scale are not to be taken lightly. It's like trying to build a skyscraper with Lego blocks – possible, but not without its fair share of headaches.

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How do we assess complex scalability challenges?

The first thing to remember is that: 

For example, let’s take a business consisting of 2 small family restaurant franchises. 

Two family-owned restaurants don't have many users, and your workflow isn’t too complex (Read: probably won’t need to consolidate your data between 3 different accounting systems). Even at peak time, the business probably generates less than two or three transactions per minute.

Now, it would be a different story when we talk about businesses like large assembly manufacturing plants or multi-site grocery retail.

Then, what is it that makes scalability become a challenge? I’d hate to be the guy that says “depends,” but really. It depends on a few factors, or more precisely, a combination of factors:

• Organization structure. How many teams does the system need to manage? Are these teams located in different countries and need to collaborate closely?

• Transactions volume. Does the business produce a large number of transactions that can create performance issues?

• Processes complexity. How complex are your workflows and business rules? Do they integrate a lot of exceptions?

And… this is not all.

As a rule of thumb, the more complex a business is, the more challenging it is to implement Enterprise Software.

How will your ERP implementer assess how complex your implementation is?

Performance issues occur when the data size is big and contains many exceptions and intertwining functionalities. 

For instance, if your business has a lot of data, such as grocery retail, In Carrefour Mongolia, the implementation becomes difficult because it needs to process a large amount of data. We are talking about recording thousands of transactions per day. 

And… each transaction more than likely consists of more than 1 product.

Before an implementation is conducted, there are four primary factors to consider:

1. Volume of Transactions: We're talking about systems that must process hundreds of thousands of transactions daily, if not millions of transactions daily. It's like trying to keep track of every grain of sand on a beach – a daunting task, to say the least.
   
   Then, the account adds the volume of the client’s master data.
   
   Sure, a small business might not have that many SKUs. But imagine a large automotive company that uses its own spare parts - each having its own SKUs… You get the idea.

2. Complexity of Workflows: Modern businesses are intricate machines with countless moving parts and interdependencies. Enterprise software must be flexible enough to accommodate these complex workflows while maintaining lightning-fast performance.

3. The number of Users and Automation: The number of users is crucial because more concurrent users accessing/querying the same large dataset will impact performance multiplicatively.

   When I talk about automation, I mean other systems or APIs that are integrated with Odoo via connectors. These are essentially robotic "headless, persistent" users that query the Odoo system very rapidly. 

   Now, a few automated integrations can put more load on the system than many human users combined. That is why it is important for both human users and integrated automation systems to be accounted for when planning infrastructure to handle peak scalability demands.

4. Scope and Design of Implementation: How you implement your software can make or break its scalability. 

   If the client’s request requires a complex design with a lot of add-ons and extra features, by default, your implementation would be costly.

   The logic goes something like this: Before executing any processes, systems need to execute a verification. In this case, every check is a request. Imagine if you have countless validations to be done just to process your customer’s next purchase.
   Simply put, more processes mean more memory and bandwidth, which explains the rising cost. 

All these steps are critical to creating an accurate scope and design. It's like building a house – if the foundation is flawed, no amount of renovations will save you from structural issues down the line.

Impacts of implementation complexities

I like to classify them into two types of impacts:

1. Hard to implement: Say you have many users, teams, and branches and have a complex workflow and a ton of exceptions.
   If you have thousands of employees in one country but all use the same simple process - Trust me, the implementation would be a breeze.

2. Performance issues: You’ll tend to meet performance issues if you have large data size, high peak transactions, and complex workflow.
   But, the story would be different if you sell 1,000 orders per month with 1 item per order. The workflow is just simple shipping and invoices without any exceptions. Then, you’ll have much less of a challenge in your software implementation.

How do we tackle the scalability challenges in implementation?

1. Find your focus at the functional level and understand the client's goals/KPIs for performance. The functional requirements heavily impact performance.

2. Understand how the client's transactions work - the volume of data, number of SKUs per transaction, organic data growth, the complexity of their business processes like warehousing flows, etc. This helps anticipate data volumes.

3. Design the functional and technical requirements simultaneously. The technical architecture must support the functional needs to align and optimize the client’s cost. Depending on your budget and the users, we sometimes use separate Odoo instances/versions and connect them via DatA COnnectors (Portcities’ original DACO) based on cost, security, and scalability considerations.

4. Conduct a QC. This includes doing a stress test on your system after you build out the designed architecture.

To learn more about big data implementation, our CTO, Dennis Guillot (middle), actually spoke about it in Odoo Experience 2022.

Feel free to contact my team of experts if you want to know more about how we can help with complex ERP implementation.

If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises and corporations

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“Upgrading our ERP is like fixing a car: sometimes a shiny new engine is nice, but duct tape and WD-40 can keep the old clunker running... for a while.”

Ah, the age-old dilemma that keeps business leaders tossing and turning at night: Should we move our ERP system to the latest version with some fine-tuning, install a new ERP from scratch, or simply maintain the status quo (aka, keep the current installation and configuration)?

It's a conundrum that can make even the most seasoned executives break out in a cold sweat.

But stay calm, Trailblazers! In this issue, we'll embark on a comprehensive analysis of these options, weighing the pros and cons and providing you with the insights you need to make an informed decision.

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1. What Does it Take to Upgrade an ERP System?

Let's start with the familiar option: upgrading your existing ERP system. 

On the surface, it might seem like the path of least resistance – you know the system, your team is familiar with its quirks, and you've already invested time and resources into customizing it to fit your business like a well-worn pair of slippers.

However, upgrading an ERP system can be like giving your grandma a brand-new smartphone - it's exciting, but there's a learning curve! 

Here are some key things to consider before upgrading your Odoo system:

1. Feature Evaluation: Determine if the new version has the necessary features your company needs and whether your company can adapt to these new features available in the latest release.

2. Performance and Security: Older versions, especially those three generations behind, may lack the speed and security enhancements present in newer releases. Assess improvements in your Odoo performance and security.

3. Mobile and User Interface: If a mobile-friendly interface and better overall features are important, you should consider upgrading.

Some additional considerations to note IF you have decided to upgrade your system:

1. Custom and Third-Party Modules: Check if you have any custom or third-party modules that may require code updates to be compatible with the target version.

2. Hosting Environment: Check where your current system is hosted – whether on-premise, your own cloud, or cloud hosting provided by your Odoo partner.

3. Current vs. Target Version: Clarify your current Odoo version (Enterprise or Community) and choose the target version you wish to upgrade to.

4. Database Upgrade: Don’t forget to prepare to upgrade your database once the compatibility of custom modules with the target version is ensured.

Watch our step-by-step guide on how to migrate your Odoo (Don’t forget to subscribe!): 

Look, we've had many cases of clients who implemented an old version of Odoo (our beloved ERP system) 8-10 years ago. 

In such cases, even if they initially wanted to "upgrade their Odoo," we would always consider it as a new implementation due to the significant changes over the years. 

The approach would be like upgrading a new house. You can renovate it to get the latest technology by changing the glasses with better isolation, new paint, and maybe even a small veranda extension in the garden.

But if you and your partner now have four kids, you’ll need a house twice as big since renovating it wouldn’t fit your needs anymore. You are better off buying or building a new house.

In the real life of ERP, renovating a house that needs “a new one” is like implementing a complex customization in an old ERP that does not work anymore in the modern business process. 

The benefit, however, is that you get to challenge the old way of doing things, embrace the latest features and functionalities, and avoid any legacy customizations that might be weighing you down like a stack of ancient scrolls. 

It's a fresh start, a clean slate, a chance to leave the digital baggage behind and embark on a new journey.

2. Implementing a New ERP: A Fresh Start or a Risky Move?

On the other end of the spectrum lies the tantalizing prospect of implementing a brand-new ERP system. 

It's the equivalent of trading in your reliable but aging sedan for a sleek, high-performance sports car.

You probably thought, “I know you sell ERP, but come on, let's not gloss over the challenges.” 

So, I won’t.

1. A new ERP implementation often comes with a significant upfront cost (licenses, implementation, training – the works)

2. Potentially disrupting your business operations during the transition period. 

3. And let's not forget the risk of data loss or corruption during the migration process – because nobody wants to deal with the digital equivalent of a house fire.

But, the advantages of a new ERP are hard to ignore: 

1. Access to the latest technologies and features,

2. Gain opportunities for process optimization and automation, 

3. Better alignment with your current and future business needs. 

4. Most importantly, It is THE BEST opportunity to review your current processes.

It's like upgrading from a flip phone to the latest smartphone – suddenly, you'll have access to a world of possibilities you never knew existed.

Sure, it's shiny and packed with the latest features, but ask yourself: Are you PREPARED for the inevitable learning curve?

Remember, when considering a new ERP, key factors to evaluate include the total cost of ownership (TCO), the fit between the new system and your business processes, and understanding the implementation timeline and resource requirements. 

3. Maintaining the Status Quo: The Familiar Path

And then, there's the oft-overlooked option: maintaining the status quo. 

It's the comfortable, well-trodden path that beckons with the siren song of familiarity and comfort. After all, why mess with something that (mostly) works, right?

Sure, there are drawbacks to consider, such as:

• Maintenance Costs and Complexity: The financial burden of maintaining an old system can be substantial since you’ll definitely need to have custom patches and workarounds, which will add to the complexity of operations.

• Scarcity of Expertise: It’s like comparing people who know how to work with Odoo 8 with those certified in Odoo 15, 16, and 17 (Hint: There are way more partners certified in Odoo 15+). As technology advances, the number of experts familiar with older systems decreases, leading to higher costs and potential operational delays. 

• Outdated Technology and Integration Issues: Older systems often need help to integrate with newer technologies. You can easily imagine it would lead to inefficient workflows and data silos problems, especially for growing companies.

• Security Risks: Regular updates are key to staying ahead in the IT industry, so ERPs are no exception. Past ERP systems may not meet current security standards. So be very careful if you decide to stick with your old system, if you deal with a lot of crucial data.

• Inefficiency and Reduced Competitiveness: An old ERP system can hinder business processes, impacting customer satisfaction and the ability to compete effectively.

But surprisingly, sometimes the benefits of keeping your current system do exist. 

You know it like the back of your hand: you've avoided the costs and disruptions associated with an upgrade or new implementation, and you can bask in the stability and reliability of a system that's been with you through thick and thin.

If you decide to go through with this route, the key considerations for maintaining the status quo involve exploring the possibility of extending the system's life through customizations or add-ons.

You can assess the long-term viability and support for the current system and evaluate the opportunity costs of not upgrading or implementing a new system. 

Final Verdict: Upgrade vs. New Implementation vs. Keeping the Old System

The decision to upgrade your ERP, implement a new one, or maintain the status quo is far from straightforward. It's a complex tapestry woven from threads of cost, disruption, functionality, and long-term viability – and trying to untangle it on your own can quickly turn into a super complex problem of epic proportions.

That's why consulting with implementation experts like Portcities is crucial. 

As an award-winning global Odoo partner, my team at Portcities specializes in tailoring Odoo solutions to streamline your business processes. 

With our DACO (Data Connector) solution, they offer a large-data management system that integrates multiple software from and to Odoo ERP. This means we can help you integrate multiple business software, complex flows, or large volumes of data, improving stability and reducing maintenance costs.

So, whether you're leaning towards an upgrade, a fresh implementation, or holding steady with your trusty system, remember: 

“The path forward is rarely a straight line.

But with the right guidance, such as the comprehensive support from an ERP implementer and the flexibility of a sophisticated Data Connector…

and a healthy dose of humor (because let's face it, laughter is the best medicine when dealing with complex business decisions), you'll be well-equipped to navigate the twists and turns that lie ahead.”

Still not sure on which path to take? Read on some of our implementation services to know what you are getting into:

• Implementation services for SMEs 

• Larger enterprises and corporations

Stay tuned for more insights and adventures as we continue our journey through the ever-evolving world of business technology!

Other past insights about Odoo that will blow your mind:

1. Is Odoo Scalable?

2. Odoo vs. SAP: Giants are Making the Switch

3. Don't Use Your CRM to Please Your Boss; Use It to Boost Your Sales and Drive Growth

4. How We'll Create A $100m Business in Odoo Ecosystem

5. On Selling Our Most Valuable Resources: Our Time
   

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With SAP forcing complex cloud migrations, businesses are frantically seeking flexible, tailored solutions.

This is where Odoo comes in. As an open-source powerhouse, Odoo shakes up the industry with user-friendly, modular ERPs that let you pay only for what you need. Its momentum is undeniable, solidified by a monumental alliance with "Big Four" titan KPMG.

But why exactly is this unassuming disruptor causing such a stir as savvy leaders abandon rigid on-premise ERPs?

Read on for all the juicy details...

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The Start of The Problem: The Cloud Crossroads

Did you enjoy the comic? Well, I did. And I had to admit I had way too much fun making it.

SAP's cloud push has sent shockwaves through the midmarket, forcing businesses to confront complex transitions and potentially ballooning costs. 

Note how I highlighted the word “potentially ballooning cost.” It’s because the exact cost increase is difficult to pinpoint, such as:

• Variable Pricing: SAP uses a complex, tiered pricing structure based on factors like user licenses, modules deployed, and industry specifics. This makes it hard for me to give you the prediction of a universal price increase.

• Negotiation Power: Businesses with significant bargaining power may negotiate lower migration costs or secure favorable cloud pricing structures - which is quite unfair for businesses that are “less renowned.”

• Subscription vs. Perpetual Licenses: What I can tell you for sure - traditionally, businesses purchased perpetual licenses for SAP software. Moving to the cloud would involve a subscription model, leading to recurring costs instead of a one-time purchase.

Read more about the Odoo Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) breakdown. If you are lucky enough, you can find a downloadable resource that could help you understand ERP pricing better.

The Solution: Rise of Adaptable Software

There are literally new waves of ERP solutions built to meet the specific needs of midmarket businesses. One of them is Odoo. Solutions like Odoo ERP prioritize user-friendly interfaces, modular designs, and cost-effective deployment.

PS: Except for the Odoo Studio. Still don’t know how I feel about that one. Let me know if you are interested in knowing why. 

You need to pay only for the functionalities you require, and the intuitive design empowers your team to hit the ground running. It is easy to imagine that in this new environment, businesses have a lot more choices and flexibility when selecting an ERP solution.  

One thing I can tell mid-market businesses seeking a smooth and strategic path to the cloud, an adaptable solution like Odoo or other smaller ERPs connected that provide big data connectors can offer a compelling alternative to the one-size-fits-all approach of traditional enterprise systems.

I’d wager the “big data” approach would provide a good processing load time, be able to tackle complex workflow, accommodate the number of users using the system, and is still much more budget-friendly in comparison to ERP giants.

If you want to read more about our implementation process, I’d recommend giving these two a read:

1. Implementation services for SMEs

2. Larger enterprises and corporations implementation.

Why Odoo, Industry Recognition, and A Sign of Things to Come

As an ERP implementation specialist for most of my life, I've witnessed the ever-evolving landscape of enterprise resource planning.  

One of the most significant recent developments is the burgeoning recognition of Odoo explicitly designed for the mid-market (and why I am glad I went with selling Odoo instead of other ERP systems).

A prime example of this trend is the strategic alliance formed in May 2023 between Odoo, a leading open-source ERP solution, and KPMG, one of the "Big Four" accounting and professional services networks. This powerful collaboration signifies a major shift in the industry.

I can guarantee you that KPMG's move is not in isolation.

A growing number of midmarket businesses are actively considering or planning to move away from traditional, on-premise ERP solutions.

From what I can see, this shift is driven by a desire for greater:

• Flexibility: Midmarket businesses require solutions that can adapt and scale alongside their growth trajectory.

• Affordability: Traditional ERP systems can be cost-prohibitive, with hefty licensing fees and ongoing maintenance expenses. Adaptable solutions often offer subscription-based pricing, reducing upfront costs and providing predictable budgeting.

• User-friendliness: Complex interfaces and lengthy implementation times hinder productivity and adoption rates. Adaptable solutions prioritize intuitive user interfaces and streamlined implementation processes.

The Future Beckons

The midmarket is on the cusp of a major transformation, and adaptable ERP solutions are at the heart of this revolution.  By prioritizing flexibility, scalability, and affordability, these solutions address the specific needs of midmarket businesses. 

So, business leaders, embrace the change, explore your options, and guide your company toward a future fueled by a truly adaptable ERP solution.

If you ever need someone to talk to about an ERP design for your specific needs and budget, shoot us a message.

To check out some of our Odoo implementations for mid-market clients in various industries, check out some of these articles:
1. Astra Auto Trust

2. Allnex

2. Carrefour

3. Aneka Tuna

4. Mitsubishi Chemical

5. Gojek

6. Pour un Sourire d'Enfant (PSE)

Want me to discuss something specific? Connect and message me on my LinkedIn page: www.linkedin.com/in/gasparddessy or my personal email at gaspard@portcities.net.

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Introduction

Thinking about doing CSR for your business? Don’t.

Focus on your core business instead.

Rather than diverting resources towards CSR, businesses should prioritize delivering exceptional products or services that effectively solve customers’ problems.

When a company excels at its core operations, it generates value and drives economic growth. It will also create employment opportunities, stimulate innovation, and foster progress in a sustainable way.

Ultimately, this practice leaves a lasting, positive impact on the communities it serves.

It’s basically doing CSR - without “doing CSR.”

…

Wait. What?

Curious? Stay tuned.

We’ll dive deeper into the role of business in Corporate Social Responsibility and how making HR more efficient is also - in a way - doing CSR.

Agenda

1. What is the Role of Businesses in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?

2. Odoo Features: Enhancing Operational Efficiency with HR Modules for Higher Profitability (and Sustainability)

3. Plotting Our Next Moves: Expanding Odoo HR Module Adoption at Portcities

4. Business quote

5. Last but not least, a $ 1,000 gift

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1. What is The Role of Businesses in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?

Raise your hand if you also think that running a business is all about making money. Not losing it.

Everybody would agree that there will be no business if you can’t make money.

But the thing about CSR is it screams “losing money” if you don’t do it strategically.

While I might look like a person who thinks CSR is bad for business, I’m not. 

I do think that any business can benefit from doing CSR because:

• Customers prefer companies with ethical practices. They care about the way you source materials, the way you deliver your products or the way you treat your employees.

• The community will be happier to work with you. And it’s always a good idea to go along with the communities instead of against them.

• The employees will be happier working for your company. Lower turnaround means saving money, time, and energy while getting better productivity and output.

• CSR also boosts brand reputation and customer loyalty.

However, if you focus too much on CSR, you can lose focus on your primary business. You’ll lose money without getting the intended result.

Don’t do CSR for the sake of doing CSR. It should strategically align with your company values and objectives. 

Better yet, instead of over-emphasizing CSR, prioritize doing your best in solving customers’ problems instead. 

Because, at its core, CSR is all about positively impacting society, the environment, and stakeholders. You’ll do that if you do your best in business.

And there are many ways that you can do to make sure that your business is making a positive impact - without taking the more traditional CSR route, such as:

• Reduce waste in your day-to-day operations.

• Use resources and energy wisely.

• Choose your source materials with care.

• Optimize your supply chain.

• Partner with other businesses that also implement ethical practices.

• Give more training to employees to improve them.

• Adapt remote/hybrid working to reduce carbon emissions.

By adopting these strategies, businesses can contribute to a more sustainable future while achieving profitability.

That’s what we do at Portcities. Focusing on our core business contributes to local economic growth and sustainability in every branch we operate. 

We create a positive impact.

2. Odoo Features: Enhancing Operational Efficiency with HR Modules for Higher Profitability (and Sustainability)

Focusing on your core business is about making positive ripples outward and inward.

As Simon Sinek famously said, “Happy employees ensure happy customers. And happy customers ensure happy shareholders – in that order."

Your business will grow positively if you invest in your employees. 

Another example of doing CSR without “doing CSR.”

But managing human resources is easier said than done especially if you do it manually. 

If your company is just a 3-5 person show, that might still be manageable. But if the number is already in the realm of tens or hundreds (or thousands!), the administrative tasks will turn into a hellish nightmare.

Imagine handling payroll for 3000 employees with nothing but spreadsheets - or an outdated, hard-to-use system. How much time would it take? You'll already be on the next payroll period before you get to the last person on the list.

These time-consuming tasks can significantly affect employee productivity and motivation, leading to stress, burnout, and reduced engagement.

You’ll need help.

The good thing is that Odoo can automate most of the repetitive HR tasks using HR functions from Odoo and free up valuable time for more strategic and impactful work. It creates more value for the business while doing good for the employees.

Using the Odoo HR module, your HR teams can spend less time on administrative tasks using the:

• Recruitment apps (job posting, application processing, interview scheduling, etc.)

• Timesheets for logging working hours

• Leave management

• Expenses management

• E-sign app

Then, they can focus more on people management. This includes smooth hiring, better onboarding, and better quality training for the whole organization using:

• Knowledge app

• e-Learning app

• Appraisal management

Porcities also help other businesses solve their growing pains. That 3000-employee payroll problem I mentioned above? It’s from a real case study of a tuna canning factory, 

It’s proof that the benefits especially accelerate for larger companies with more extensive employee bases, as manual processes make it harder for businesses to scale. 

3. Plotting Our Next Moves: Expanding Odoo HR Module Adoption at Portcities

I must admit that despite the benefits, Portcities hasn’t utilized all HR functions that could help us work more effectively. Currently, we only utilize around 50% of Odoo's HR module features and capabilities.

On the recruitment front, we use Odoo to post job ads on our website and process applicant submissions digitally. This streamlines the initial hiring cycle efficiently. We also use other functionalities, such as employee management and appraisal surveys, among others.

However, we haven’t used Odoo’s appointment scheduling to schedule interviews yet, even though this could make setting up interviews faster. We plan to use e-sign to sign contracts with new employees and fully implement the Payroll module for all our branches in different countries.

I must admit that the e-learning app would also be great for training new employees, so along with the others, it is part of our implementation roadmap.

4. Business quote

Here is a quote for all managing directors who got distracted by CSR topics:

“In the symphony of business, profit is the crescendo that echoes through boardrooms. CSR, while noble, remains an accompaniment—a beautiful addition, but not the main melody.” 

By a famous person that never existed

So keep focusing on your core business, but do it the right way.

5. Last but not least, a $1,000 gift

Writing this newsletter costs time, i.e., the missed opportunity to do something else. That’s about $500-1000 per week, which I give for free to the Odoo community. 

I hope it delivers as much value as possible. If you like it, please support this project. Any of the following would be a HUGE help:

1. Subscribe

2. Share it with someone who may be interested in Odoo

3. Give me feedback about this newsletter by emailing gaspard@portcities.net

4. Spread the word about Odoo and Portcities

If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises and corporations.

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Picture this: A bustling retail warehouse, shelves stacked high with products like a magical library of commerce 🔮

In the heart of the magical retail of Hogwarts, Odoo Inventory Management stands tall, its wand (barcode scanner) at the ready. But instead of casting spells, it weaves enchantments of lot tracking, making sure your butterbeer sells well before its expiry date

Just like Harry Potter’s Marauder’s Map reveals hidden passages, ERP reveals real-time stock levels. It’s like having a magical owl that whispers, ‘Psst… your butterbeer supply is running low, restock now!’

So, dear retailers, hold your wands tight (or barcode scanners) and dive into the mystical world of Odoo Inventory Management. 

Because in this tale, the real magic isn’t in invisibility cloaks or flying broomsticks—it’s in streamlined stock control, optimized supply chains, and profits that soar higher than a Nimbus 2000 🧹

Agenda

1. ERP Implementation Challenges: Supply Chain Management in Retail Businesses

2. Odoo Features: Inventory for Retailers

3. ERP Advice: How to Set Up A Warehouse Flow and Why

4. Business quote

5. Last but not least: a $ 1,000 gift

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1. ERP Implementation Challenges: Supply Chain Management in Retail

Inventory setup in general is difficult. It is more so for retail businesses.

Typically, if you have only one warehouse, you would have two main operations: reception, when you receive stock into your warehouse, and delivery, when you ship out stock. 

Ands specifically in retail, the sales you make from your Point of Sale (POS) is also considered as part of the delivery operation, since POS will reduce your inventory whenever you make a sale.

However, on top of the regular challenges that occur in other sectors, retailers with multiple shops face also face unique hurdles that can make ERP implementation a complex undertaking.

At the core lies the sheer volume and velocity of inventory movement. Retailers deal with a constant influx of new products and the need to restock fast-moving items rapidly. 

Furthermore, an intricate web of suppliers, distribution centers, and store locations, adds to the logistical labyrinth.

Let’s explore the logistical aspect that makes inventory setup more complex for retail stores:

1. Retailers need to manage store in each location in addition to the central warehouse: Retailers with multiple shops need to keep track of their inventory levels and movements across different locations. They also need to coordinate with their central warehouse, where they store their bulk purchases and distribute them to their shops. 

2. Retailers have to manage all transactions and delivery for each location: Retailers need to document every transaction and processing all transactions from sales to purchases to transfers. They also need to ensure timely and accurate delivery of goods to their customers and their shops.

3. Retail businesses need to manage their procurement flow: They need to balance their demand and supply, as well as their quality and cost. They also need to deal with various challenges, such as changing market conditions, supplier reliability, and inventory obsolescence..

4. Then manage the flow of goods from the central warehouse to each store: Any retailers need to ensure the smooth and efficient flow of goods from the central warehouse to each store, to meet the customer demand and expectations. They also need to consider the different routes and modes of transportation, as well as the costs and risks involved.

2. Odoo Features: Inventory for Retailers

Odoo ERP’s inventory module has many features that are vital for the retail industry. Let’s take a look at the top three features.

Multi-Warehouse Configuration

Odoo allows you to organize your  inventory into multiple locations and warehouses. This is particularly useful when you want to detail the journey of a product from one point to another.

Each warehouse you configure in your Inventory module can have its own unique operations. The flexibility allows for a variety of operations to be set up based on the specific needs of each warehouse. 

For instance, “Warehouse #1” can have a reception operation for “Store #1”, while “Warehouse #2” might have a different operation in a completely different store.

You can find this function in the generic Odoo without having to customize it.

Reordering Rules

In Odoo’s inventory management, reordering rules play a crucial role in maintaining optimal stock levels. 

These rules ensure that forecasted stock levels remain above a certain threshold without exceeding a specified upper limit. This is achieved by setting a minimum quantity that stock should not fall below (the ‘min’ in min-max rules), and a maximum quantity that stock should not exceed (the ‘max’ in min-max rules).

When the forecasted stock falls below the minimum quantity, a replenishment order for the product is created. This will automatically trigger a replenishment which could generate internal shipment from your central warehouse, along with Request for Quotation (RFQ), Manufacturing Order (MO), or a combination of both.

Lot and Serial Number Tracking

The use of serial numbers in Odoo allows for precise tracking of each individual product throughout its lifecycle, from procurement to sale. 

This includes tracking the product’s location in the warehouse, its movement through various stages of the supply chain, and its final sale to the customer. Serial numbers can also be linked to product warranties, returns, repairs, and other after-sales services.

Lot tracking does the same thing, but instead of individual items, it enables you to track your goods in batches. 

Tracking lots is particularly useful if you sell perishable goods. By tracking lots, you can manage different items in your warehouse with different expiration dates, ensuring efficient stock rotation and reducing waste.

Both serial numbers and lot tracking can be easily managed by barcode scanners. 

3. ERP Advice: How to Set Up A Warehouse Flow and Why

The success of your inventory system comes down to having good warehouse management.

Here is a life hack for implementing your warehouse setup: Say you have ten vendors and each vendor needs to send their goods to ten different stores. 

You want to make sure to route all the goods from various vendors to be sent to 1 main warehouse. Then, from that warehouse, distribute it to your stores.

Why? 

1. Simplified Integration: By consolidating all incoming goods at one central warehouse, the ERP system deals with a single point of entry. It’s logistically more efficient. it allows businesses to straightforwardly integrate vendors since they all follow the same process.

2. Efficient Inventory Management: The main warehouse acts as a buffer, allowing better control over your stock levels. Plus, your inventory management becomes more efficient, since you now deal with fewer locations monitoring.

3. Cost Optimization: Your business will also save transport costs are reduced since all goods are sent to one central location

4. Standardized Processes: By having a centralized warehouse, businesses can simplify their inventory and quality management, as they only have to deal with one location and one system. They can also ensure consistent and high-quality products, by implementing standardized procedures and quality checks across their warehouse

5. Automation:  Automated functions such as procurement flow and reordering rules help in maintaining an optimal level of inventory, ensuring that the warehouse does not run out of stock while also avoiding overstocking. In a centralized warehouse, you can anticipate and plan for future needs from one place to reduce the lead time for acquiring new inventory.

6. Tracking and traceability : Having one main warehouse and putting stock in one location makes it easier to monitor the quantity, quality, and movement of your products. As a result, you can control all schedule and past operations in an efficient way.

If you want to expand your retail business online, don’t worry. I also got tips on how to create an online retail store with ERP.

4. Business Quote

The goal of Odoo Inventory is to reduce operational expenses, minimize inventory level, and maximize throughput simultaneously. 

Efficiency is key for retailers as they strive to boost their sales while keeping their stock and cost as low as possible.

With that said - I’d say it’s a match made in heaven, dont you think? 👼🏼

5. Last but not least, a $1,000 gift

Writing this newsletter costs time, i.e., the missed opportunity to do something else. That’s about $500-1000 per week that I give for free to the Odoo community. 

I hope it delivers as much value as possible. If you like it, please support this project. Any of the following would be a HUGE help:

1. Subscribe 🧙🏽‍♂️

2. Share it with someone who may be interested in Odoo

3. Give me feedback about this newsletter by emailing gaspard@portcities.net

4. Spread the word about Odoo and Portcities

If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises and corporations.

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This is my Carrefour Mongolia implementation team. I put their pictures here to show these guys my appreciation and acknowledge their hard work. 

As a CEO, I feel your pain when it comes to choosing an ERP solution. You may be tempted to dismiss Odoo as too puny or too plain for your big retail business. 

But trust me, you’d be missing out on a gem.

In this episode, I’ll tell you how Portcities partnered with Carrefour Mongolia, one of the biggest retail players in Mongolia, to implement Odoo ERP for their hypermarkets and supermarkets. It’ll show you how Odoo helped them standardize their business processes, comply with Mongolian accounting regulations, and handle many transactions.

You’ll also get to see some of the obstacles we encountered, the solutions, and the outcomes attained. As always, I’ll throw in a business quote that can help you succeed in your ERP implementation. 

You’ll see why Carrefour is not too big for Odoo. 

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Agenda

1. Odoo news: Another great project is down in the books as Portcities wrapped up its latest project with Carrefour Mongolia  

2. Case study: Carrefour Mongolia

3. Lessons learned: Implementing Odoo in Carrefour Mongolia

4. Business quote

5. Last but not least, a $ 1,000 gift

1. Odoo news: Portcities Concludes Carrefour Project

Last October, Portcities closed the main project with Carrefour Mongolia. And at the end of 2023, we finished rolling out the implementation to all Carrefour branches in the country 🛍️

Going in, we know it’s important to get our client to reach the end goal: Help them transform their operations and prepare them for long-term growth in the dynamic Mongolian retail market. 

The team working on the implementation, Portcities Vietnam (PCV), used a phased approach to address different aspects of the business. First, they optimized the store functions to improve the daily operations and customer experience. Then, centralized the finance processes and master data to ensure accuracy and consistency across the organization. 

To handle the high transaction volumes typical for retail stores, the Portcities also customized their Odoo to meet the demands specific to Carrefour Mongolia retail stores. 

2. Case study: Carrefour Mongolia

"It used to be my second project with Odoo ERP and my first one with Portcities. This project for the Carrefour franchise in Mongolia was challenging due to the gap between the former system and Odoo and the change management part. Fortunately, with the excellent partnership and professionalism of Portcities, we succeeded in this big challenge. Their very good retail business knowledge also used to be a major plus.

Portcities Group is geographically present in each continent so it will be my wish partner for future projects in other countries."

​William DENIZE • Project Manager at Carrefour Mongolia."

Carrefour contacted us asking to transform their previous ERP to Odoo in order to achieve their goals of standardizing procedures across their stores, localizing their system to comply with Mongolian accounting regulations, and handling a large volume of transactions.

So this is what Portcities did to solve their issues:

• We hooked up their Odoo system with local banks, tax systems, and payment gateways to ensure compliance with local regulations

• Our team tweaked Odoo to handle a ton of transactions and improved store functions like POS, Inventory, Purchasing, Sales, and Helpdesk

• The team then took it step by step by conducting a store implementation first to make their daily operations smoother. Then, we continued with centralizing finance and master data to get the big picture

As a result:

• Their overall system became more user-friendly and efficient

• The financial accuracy of Carrefour Mongolia increased and automation makes their work far more efficient

• Now, they can also manage their inventory better with PDAs and barcode scanning

After the implementation, we are still providing them with ongoing support such as continuing the support to roll out Odoo to 16 other Carrefour branches in Mongolia. The team also provides help in consolidating Carrefour’s finance figures and providing helpdesk support.

You can read more about the Carrefour Mongolia implementation on our website.

3. Lessons learned from implementing Odoo in Carrefour Mongolia

01. Carrefour is not too big for Odoo.

Fun fact: You can combine ERPs to gain advantages from different systems for your business.

Odoo can be implemented for corporate clients that already use SAP, NetSuite Oracle, or other systems that are utilized for different functions. You can also use Odoo even if your parent companies or other branches use a different ERP. 

Odoo ERP is quite flexible when facing multi-business and localization challenges. For instance, Carrefour Mongolia uses Odoo for accounting since it helps them with tax localization. But they also decided to integrate it with other modules from SAP to stay connected with other Carrefour branches around the globe. 

And even with a large data set, we managed to ensure that Carrefour Mongolia has its Odoo Accounting system connected with Manufacturing, Inventory, Helpdesk, Sales, POS, and Purchase modules to smoothen their day-to-day business operation.

02. Odoo can handle a lot of transactions.

Grocery retail is a specific case that requires a lot of transactions. It requires a complex ERP processing.

In retail, every purchaser of a supermarket is considered as one order. Typically, each person has an average of shopping 10 items per purchase.

So let’s say, a supermarket chain with twenty supermarkets has 250 orders per day. That means, their ERP will have to process around 50,000 items that must be checked out daily.

 So yes, Odoo can handle a huge amount of transactions.

However, you would need to build the right architecture. So, our team designed a decentralized system where each store has its own Odoo setup before finally connecting all branches.

This step is necessary so Carrefour branches in Mongolia can report and share their joint master data.

03. Prepare to have a rock star mentality.

At some stages of the project, all our consultants may look like rock stars with all the fans around. Be prepared!

At 7.30 PM on a workday, Tran Binh, our Project Director, was still surrounded by the Carrefour Mongolia Finance team to answer questions - just like Brad Pitt on a red carpet taking questions from paparazzi.

PS: Thank you, Binh. You are a rock star 😎

04. Paper rolls. Bring more paper rolls even if you think you have enough.

Always bring more paper rolls than you need. That’s the lesson we learned from Franck Plazanet, our Engineering Manager.

Even when we are in the business of digitalizing business processes, papers are still an inseparable component of some businesses.

In retail, you’ll need labels for scalable fresh items. So here we are testing the printing function to ensure the barcode layout contains the information of item code, weight, and converted price.

4. Business quote

With great teamwork between Carrefour Mongolia and Portcities, after a year of dedication and hard work, the Odoo implementation tackled Carrefour’s problems with its previous ERP vendor.

Yes, we faced challenges like project delays and language barriers. But their clear implementation goal helped our team find the best functions to solve their pain points and meet their business needs.

5. Last but not least, a $1,000 gift

Writing this newsletter costs time, i.e., the missed opportunity to do something else. That’s about $500-1000 per week that I give for free to the Odoo community. 

I hope it delivers as much value as possible. If you like it, I ask your favor to support this project. Any of the following would be a HUGE help:

1. Subscribe

2. Share it with someone who may be interested in Odoo

3. Give me feedback about this newsletter by emailing gaspard@portcities.net

4. Spread the word about Odoo and Portcities

If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises and corporations.

Share

I have a confession to make. My newsletter is delayed because I had surgery for a broken tendon 😔

Yes, you read that right. 

I can't use my right arm for a while. And I'm right-handed. But the show must go on. So here we are with another valuable content for you. 

Sales and marketing are essential for any service business that wants to expand in a competitive market. But how do you plan and execute effective sales and marketing strategies that suit your business goals, industry, and customers?

I get it - it’s not easy. But it is not impossible, either.

Take it from me, who just propelled Portcities to pass the one-year consolidation period and grew our numbers to 200 employees strong. 

I can’t magically solve all your problems. But as someone who has been through half of the process, I can share some of the true and tested best practices I used (and plan to use) that you could try when expanding your sales and marketing efforts for your service business using an ERP. 

Agenda

• Odoo news: Portcities 4th stage of Growth

• My top advice to grow and boost your sales and marketing effort

• Business quote

• Last but not least, a $ 1,000 gift

  Subscribe now

1. Portcities news: Hiring eight sales worldwide and 4th stage of growth

I am thrilled to share some exciting news: we are expanding our sales force by hiring eight more people worldwide. The expansion is part of our fourth growth stage, reflecting our commitment to delivering our customers the best products and services.

Let me walk you through my company’s milestones: 

1. The first one was the quick expansion of the Indonesian market in 2015-2016.

2. Second was to build a center of excellence in Indonesia and expand internationally (2018-2021). 

3. Third was getting to midmarket (2020-2022): expanding our expertise to data engineering and advanced architecture to deliver larger projects. 

4. Fourth is now (2024 to ~2026) as we are simplifying our offers and scaling the Sales team. I plan to hire eight salespeople worldwide. 

With that said, if you want to work in business development in one of our offices - let me know. And if you know someone who is looking for work in sales and marketing, share this link! 

2. Odoo advice: Marketing & Sales for Service Business Expansion

Growing a service industry from 200 to 1,000 employees in two years is challenging.

But that’s exactly my goal for Portcities. Professional service firms usually need the same modules (B2B) in sales and marketing. That’s why I’ll be sharing with you how I plan to use Odoo to scale up my sales and marketing so you can get some inspiration on how to use yours.

Today's advice is about growing your business from 10 to 1000 employees. All businesses need to generate leads, turn them into clients, and keep them happy. On a smaller scale, you can do this without any ERP strategy. Or even without any ERP. But on a larger scale, your life will be a lot easier if you have some kind of ERP implementation.

So here is my game plan for Portcities:

1. Acquire leads 

A. Website

The first step is to attract visitors to your website. As a service provider, I usually do this by using LinkedIn or networking at events. Once you get people to notice your business, you need a great website to make sure your new contacts check it out. That's why you need to create a stunning website. I made mine using Odoo’s website builder since I chose from various templates and selected a color theme that matches Portcitie’s brand identity. If you need some help with writing engaging content for your website, you can use the Odoo-ChatGPT integration to generate high-quality text that fits your design.

B. E-commerce

Even if we are selling services, it is a good practice to utilize the eCommerce feature of an ERP to sell less expensive products or services. This is because every purchase allows you to gather customer data and buying patterns through forms and build a rapport with them before offering larger services.

C. Blog

When you create a blog, you’ll put more exposure on what your company does. Most importantly, having website content with a high SEO also gives you a wider reach to your potential customers by being shown first in every search engine known to man. You want to share engaging, SEO-friendly content that attracts and converts your target audience. Interact with your readers, measure your impact, and grow your business. 

D. Contact form feature/Live chat module

To grow your business, you’d need to capture and track customer inquiries from the website within the CRM module without having to manually enter the data or check the email inbox. One way to grow your customer base is by utilizing the form on your website. The system will store any form submissions in your CRM module. Another option is to use Livechat in Odoo, which keeps potential customers' information and chat history in your CRM with the “/lead” command.

2. Convert leads to customer with CRM

A. Email Marketing & Marketing Automation

As a service industry, it’s important to increase conversion rates and ROI. These two modules help you communicate with your leads and convert them to customers by sending personalized and timely emails. Then, sync your email campaigns with the CRM module in Odoo to track your lead data and activities.

B. Events

It’s important to gather traffic back into your website to garner more potential leads either from the event itself or by selling tickets to your events. Create and manage various events, such as conferences, webinars, festivals, etc. You can sell tickets online, promote your events on social media, and track your attendance and feedback.

C. Quotation builder

Create and send beautiful quotes showcasing your company and products with various information and design elements. Use dynamic text to personalize the offer for the customer and integrate with the CRM module to sync your lead data and activities.

D. Sign module

Use it to enable customers to sign quotations online with a simple click, saving time and hassle.

3. Deliver good experiences to your customers

A. Sales Order

As your business expands, it becomes more challenging to manage what you deliver and bill to your customers. With sales orders, you can track which services have been provided to your clients and what has been invoiced. It also links project/service delivery and accounting data with your sales orders, which is important for analyzing and reporting on the profitability and performance of your projects and services while identifying areas for improvement and optimization at the same time.

B. Helpdesk

After garnering a lot of customers, you would need to uphold your reputation in order to keep your client base. You also want to keep a great image to expand so your customers can market your business naturally through word of mouth. By enabling after-sales services like customer service, your customer service team can provide timely assistance directly from the helpdesk ticket. To perform quality control on your company performance, keep an eye on your customer satisfaction using dashboards, reports, and analytics to track and measure your helpdesk performance.

3. Business Quote

Calling all music and marketing enthusiasts! Here's a quote that resonates with business-savvy minds, infused with the joy of recalling our favorite artists.

"Marketing amplifies your rockstar appeal, while ERP fine-tunes your performance for every stage, from small venues to sold-out concerts."

Running a business is akin to rocking a stage with a band. It's about crafting a fan-favorite image and gaining exposure to sell tickets, or risk fading into obscurity after one show.

Need I say more about the power of a killer marketing and sales strategy? 😉

4. Last but not least, a $ 1,000 gift

Writing this newsletter costs time, i.e., the missed opportunity to do something else. That’s about $500-1000 per week that we give for free to the Odoo community. 

We hope it delivers as much value as possible. If you like it, I request your support on this project. Any of the following would be great:

1. Subscribe

2. Share it with someone who may be interested in Odoo

3. Give me feedback about this newsletter by emailing gaspard@portcities.net

4. Spread the word about Odoo and Portcities

If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises and corporations 😉

Share

Great software is like fine wine. It gets better with time.

That’s the case with Odoo. It evolves with each update.

That’s the true reason why I started to use it 11 years ago. It’s not just because it’s more affordable and easier to use, but also because I believed it would evolve faster and better than any competitor.

Now, they have released version 17.1, plus the script to upgrade your current Odoo installation to Odoo 17.

History proved me right.

Subscribe now

Agenda

1. Odoo news: release 17.1 and more

2. About Odoo: versions and upgrades

3. My top piece of advice for CEOs considering an Odoo upgrade:

4. Business quote on “Smiling”

5. Last but not least: a $ 1,000 gift

1. Odoo news: release 17.1 and more.

Two big news on Odoo: Version 17.1 has been released, and the upgrade script for Version 17 is now available!

Version 17.1

The subversion 17.1 is available on Odoo online! You can check the release note here:

https://www.odoo.com/odoo-17-1-release-notes

You can also test the new features by yourself on demo.odoo.com

The major improvements, in my opinion, are:

1. Fine-tuning and usability improvements on mature apps.

   Often, the biggest value of the new Odoo version is not the trendy new apps (that lack maturity and business value) but fine-tuning the core (ERP) applications to make them 0.5% better. On version 17.1, the impacted features are:

   • Management of account receivables and follow-up (Accounting)

   • Accounting localization

   • Mass editing package location (Inventory)

   • Usability improvements to manage serial numbers in manufacturing 

2. Promising apps

   The “new” app that got a lot of critical improvements is Spreadsheet. It will not entirely replace the need for external reporting tools, but it is starting to become one of the most promising “non-core” apps in Odoo.

Odoo script upgrade?

Odoo finally released the script to upgrade your existing Odoo system to version 17 (that was already available before but only for the SaaS version of Odoo, Odoo online).

You can access it here to upgrade your database “automatically” to the latest major version.

2. About Odoo: versions and upgrades

Wait, why do we speak about upgrading to version 17.1 if version 17.1 is available? And why do we speak about the major version?

Odoo has two types of releases:

• The major releases (e.g. versions 15.0, 16.0, 17.0) come once a year during the Odoo Experience. They are intended for all production installations of Odoo, which apply to both Odoo Community and Odoo Enterprise, and for all hosting types (Odoo online, Odoo.sh, and Odoo on-premise).

• The minor releases (e.g. 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, etc.) come between the major ones about 3-4 times a year. They are intended to be used only for Odoo Online (Odoo Enterprise SaaS offer), but the source code is available to all Odoo partners.

How do I get to the latest version?

• If you start using Odoo online today, you'll get 17.1. Upgrades are soon available to Odoo online users.

• If you use Odoo on a private cloud (or Odoo.sh), you are supposed to use only the major releases (16.0, 17.0, …). You can now use the script of Odoo to help you migrate to the latest major release, Odoo 17.0.

Upgrading your Odoo version to the latest release is a major project because it could bring high costs and great benefits, depending on how it is done.

One of our Delivery Directors, Munesh, explains the process in this video:

3. My top advice for CEOs considering an Odoo upgrade

Just some high-level insight on how to think about your Odoo upgrade:

1. Start by identifying the "whys” or the top features of the new version that will drastically improve your business. Align with your business strategy and assess if you really want to upgrade now.

2. Challenge ALL non-standard features (custom development or community apps) you are currently using. The objective of an upgrade should always be to simplify your system.

3. Review all Odoo standard features (new or existing) you have not used and see if they could help your business. Those are quick wins for your business's competitiveness.

4. Consider the Odoo upgrade a major Digital Transformation project by allocating enough budget and effort to maximize the benefits. You'll usually get a much higher ROI than the initial implementation.

5. Bonus tip: If you have had four separate version upgrades or more in the past, approach the new upgrade as a new Odoo implementation. You'll spend much less money and make fewer mistakes than if you implemented Odoo for the first time. Hence, this approach will give you a cleaner implementation that is more aligned with your strategy while not leaving a major dent in your budget.

4. Business quote on “Smiling”

"Smiling is the cheapest way to make your employees, customers, and vendors happy. "

It doesn’t replace a good salary and coaching, or a quality product and a reliable service, but it brings a lot of value and happiness. For free.

5. Last but not least: a $1,000 gift

Writing this newsletter costs time, i.e., the missed opportunity to do something else. That’s about $500-1000 per week that I give for free to the Odoo community. 

I hope it delivers as much value as possible. If you like it, I ask your favor to support this project. Any of the following would be a HUGE help:

1. Subscribe

2. Share it with someone who may be interested in Odoo

3. Give me feedback about this newsletter by emailing gaspard@portcities.net

4. Spread the word about Odoo and Portcities

If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises and corporations

Share

Welcome to season 2 of Odoo Trailblazer!

You love your customers. You really do. But sometimes, you wish they would love you back. And by love, you mean pay. Accounts receivable is a hassle that can make you question your relationships and your business.

So today, I’ll give you some Odoo invoicing tricks to make your invoicing process faster. As a bonus, I’ll share how you can track paid and unpaid services to make sure you’ll never miss getting paid for your dues.

Our promises?
We’ll make you an Odoo expert. So subscribe for exclusive pro tips, expert insights, and the latest news about Odoo!

Agenda

1. Odoo opinion of the week

2. Case study

3. Portcities news

4. Poem of the week

Odoo opinion of the week: The benefit of the accounts receivable feature in the Accounting App

Imagine you sell $1 million worth of products or services every month, and your customers usually pay you in 60 days. That means you have $2 million of accounts receivable (AR) on your balance sheet, which is money that you have earned but not yet received.

That’s the big issue. Time does not stop for your business just because your customers have not paid. You still have to pay your suppliers, employees, and other expenses, which creates abundant cash flow problems for your business.

Now, what if you could improve your collection process and reduce your average payment term from 60 days to 30 days?

That would mean you would receive your money faster and have less AR on your balance sheet. Your AR balance would decrease from $2 million to $1 million, which means you would have $1 million extra in your bank account. Your cash flow and liquidity would improve. Then, you could use that money to invest in your business, pay off your debts, or reward yourself.

But how can you achieve this? By using Odoo 17’s account receivable feature, which helps you create and send professional invoices, accept online payments, and track your receivables.

Odoo 17’s account receivable feature also gives you insights into your customers’ payment behavior, such as their average payment delay, their outstanding balance, and their credit limit. You can even set up payment reminders, follow-ups, and penalties to encourage your customers to pay on time.

Bonus content: Localization

In case you are thinking, “I wish I could clone myself 98 times to handle the tax headaches of my multinational empire.” 👾

Well, I don’t have a solution for cloning, but I know how to reduce the tax headache. The Accounting module in Odoo 17 now comes with integrated document management and fiscal localization packages to comply with local and international standards.

Overall, the new Odoo version will give you more granular financial reports and speed up your operations to get paid faster.

Odoo tips: accounts receivables

In my opinion, here are the three best functions related to Odoo account receivable:

• Create invoices from the Sales Orders: Generate invoices based on the sales order lines and the delivered quantity. They are integrated with your Inventory or Service apps, so you can create invoices faster and more accurately.

• Send e-invoices from Odoo: Directly send PDF invoices via email to your customers. Feel free to include an online payment link, too. It only takes two clicks, but it improves your invoicing traceability.

• The Accounts Receivable report: Access the Aged AR report to track the overdue payments. On the other hand, use the Partner Ledger if you want to see the history of invoices and payments for your clients.

These are old features, but they will improve your efficiency and reduce your cash cycle. Suffice to say, they’ll make your life easier when collecting cash from your customers.

Case study

One of the most impressive examples of Odoo accounting is KPMG Belgium. Odoo helped KPMG in Belgium use Odoo online for their accounting outsourcing business (listen to the podcast here). Thanks to Odoo, they can now handle the accounting needs of about 2000 clients in Belgium. 

Odoo took this opportunity to improve its Accounting module for the Belgian market and accounting in general.

Portcities is following in their footsteps and working with a big accounting firm to launch Odoo Accounting in Japan. And that’s not all—there are still many other countries where Odoo Accounting is making waves 🌊

Portcities news

We are thrilled to welcome Marlene Vicaire, our new Group Head of Sales & Marketing. Marlene is a dynamic and lively person, and she’s ready to give you a glimpse of who she is 😀

“Hi, Trailblazers!

I was born and bred in Morocco before starting my career in France. Then, I decided to move to the APAC region (Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore), where I spent the last 15 years.

Before joining Portcities Group, I spearheaded a team of ~200 sales executives across different geographies in the development of scalable programs and revenue-generating campaigns at Salesforce. It was where I first utilized a unified and precision-oriented approach to overcome sales pipeline challenges.

My key strengths are distilling complex concepts into clear and actionable recommendations, enabling customers to make informed decisions, and driving sustainable change within their organizations.

Previously, I led an independent consulting business in digital transformation for various industries such as media, telco, retail, travel, and finance, while fostering strong client relationships and achieving consensus in challenging environments. I'm looking forward to meeting you and bringing all my energy to make you even more successful this year! 🔥 Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn.”

Poem of the week

Alright, Trailblazers… Get yourselves a box of tissues. You’ll need it. This is a touching poem for me, so I recommend reading the poem while listening to Romantic Piano Melody by Blacksmith 🎧

There once existed a perfect romance 
Between business and your balance sheet
From time to time,
Remember that every promise has a price
Some need reminding once or twice
Such is the bitter journey of cash collection

Alas, even in love, there is sacrifice!
Please master the art of collecting your cash
Or your balance sheet will turn into ash
You'll have to shut down your business
And say farewell to your income bliss

But don't fret; there's Odoo Invoice
It's your loyal knight and best companion choice!
It makes your invoicing breezy and fast
Unlike love, it helps you get paid and make it last

Last but not least…

Thank you so much for your time!

If you like the concept of the newsletter,

1. Please give some feedback so the newsletter can be improved. Put your comments on Substack or LinkedIn

2. Subscribe & Like!

3. Share this link on LinkedIn and with your friends! 🙏

If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises and corporations

I look forward to your continued support and engagement!

Subscribe now

Welcome to season 2 of Odoo Trailblazer!

Do you remember Blackberry or Nokia? They were “the kings” in their time, but they became irrelevant because they refused to adapt to the latest technology.  

Digital transformation is the new cool for everyone, not just the techies or the newbies. This year, every team in every business needs to get on board with the latest tech trends to make their customers happy and their work easier.

Our promises?
We’ll make you an Odoo expert. So subscribe for exclusive pro tips, expert insights, and the latest news about Odoo!

Agenda

1. Odoo news

2. Odoo tips of the week or case study

3. Portcities news

4. People’s views on SAP’s compulsory migration by Dec-2027

Odoo news: Odoo quotation builder

Nobody picks up creating quotations as a hobby. Why? Because it’s not fun!

The process is also hard and time-consuming. And most of the time, the result is just ... meh. But no more!

In case you missed it in last year’s Odoo experience, Odoo released a new quotation builder in Odoo 17. It allows you to build beautiful quotations in a few seconds easily. 

And can you imagine the perks of having a standardized offer? You can scale up easier because your sales team won’t spend their entire day making quotations. They can be more productive and focus on what matters most: following up on more leads.

What is this new “Quotation Builder” in a nutshell?

Imagine a sales manager at an Event Organizing company that offers customized services and equipment for all sorts of parties. They noticed that many customers asked for a quick quotation for last-minute events and conferences. 

In the past, missing a deadline in submitting a quotation costs them missing on sales. Therefore, they changed their quoting tactics to fit the trend by using Odoo Quotation Builder to make quotations in seconds.

What is this new “Quotation Builder” in a nutshell?

Imagine a sales manager at an Event Organizing company that offers customized services and equipment for all sorts of parties. They noticed that many customers asked for a quick quotation for last-minute events and conferences. 

In the past, missing a deadline in submitting a quotation costs them missing on sales. Therefore, they changed their quoting tactics to fit the trend by using Odoo Quotation Builder to make quotations in seconds. 

What makes the Quotation Builder special? 

Feature summary:

• You can create and edit quotation templates and even add products, prices, discounts, taxes, and notes to them

• Drag and drop elements to design the layout of your quotation 

• Change the template’s text, font, color, size, and alignment to fit your company profile. 

• Use dynamic text values to auto-fill the quotation with information from the Odoo database

• Upload your custom header and footer pages to give your company background and visions or include popular products for a chance to upsell and cross-sell. 

• Save, preview, print, and send the quotation to the customer by email from Odoo.

Step-by-step to start using the Quote Builder:

1. Go to your Odoo Sales module

2. Enable the PDF Quote Builder option in the Sales settings

   

3. Create a new quotation and fill in the customer, product, and price details

4. Click on the “Edit PDF” button to open the PDF Quote Builder interface

   

5. Drag and drop elements from the design panel to edit the quote layout

6. Edit the elements by changing the text, font, color, size, alignment, etc

   

7. Save the changes and preview the quote as a PDF file

8. Voila! Send the quote to the customer by email or print.

Odoo tips of the week: How can Odoo quotation-builder grow my sales?

In general, you can use Odoo Quotation to solve one or a few of those problems in most businesses:

• Spend less time to prepare quotations

• Make beautiful quotes to stand out from competitors

• Standardize your sales process to ease operations and make your business more scalable

• Streamline your sales process by avoiding double input between CRM, operations, and finance systems.

Before you implement a new software, you should be sure that you know the root cause of your problems and have a good idea of how ERP can solve them. Keep in mind that some businesses may already have an ERP system or may not benefit from adding advanced features.

Implementing new software is also an opportunity to challenge the status quo, so ask yourself: 

• Will this new software help you standardize your offer and sales process? 

• Will you be able to sell more if your salespeople could prepare and send a quotation in 5 minutes instead of 1 hour? 

• Will you persuade your potential customer to purchase by having the software add more visuals to your quotations?

The main point I want to convey is that implementing business software is not just about automating your business process - it is also about reimagining how you do business.

Portcities news: Welcoming new family members!

In the past 30 days, we are delighted to welcome some new members who have joined us in the past month! Please give them a warm hello and get to know them better 🥳

Pierre-Louis Le Goff is our newest Delivery Team member who will be working in Portcities Australia.

Léopold Draguez Tripels de Hault, or Léo for short, will assist the Delivery Team at Portcities Indonesia.

Louis Dinh Van Cường is now working as a Delivery Team member for Portcities Vietnam.

We are thrilled to see how Odoo is gaining trust and popularity across the globe. We want to keep expanding our reach and impact in every region. That’s why we are looking for talented and passionate salespeople in Mexico, France, Slovakia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan. 

If you are interested in joining our amazing team, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!

People’s views on SAP’s compulsory migration by Dec-2027

Last but not least…

Thank you so much for your time!

If you like the concept of the newsletter:

1. Please give some feedback so the newsletter can be improved. Put your comments on Substack or LinkedIn

2. Subscribe & Like!

3. Share this link on LinkedIn and with your friends! It helps the newsletter reach more people who might be interested in Odoo pricing and how to grow their business with Odoo. Plus, it shows your support 🙏

If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises and corporations

Looking forward to your continued support and engagement.

Subscribe now

We are back!

Many people asked me to share about Portcities and Odoo, again.

We collected feedback and revamped our newsletter with a new approach with more Odoo and snap content.  

Our promises?
We’ll make you an Odoo expert. So subscribe for exclusive pro tips, expert insights, and the latest news in the Odoo world!

Subscribe now

Agenda

1. Odoo news

2. Odoo tips of the week

3. Portcities news

4. Quote of the week

Odoo news: price multi-countries

Odoo slightly changed the price of multi-countries clients and partners. As you may know, Odoo applies different prices depending on the country. For example, Standard Odoo costs EUR 19.90 per month per user in France, EUR 11.90 in Slovakia, USD 7.25 in Indonesia, and USD 13.50 in Malaysia.

If you use Odoo in more than one country, you need to be aware of this change: you will now pay the highest price among the countries you operate in (instead of the country where you have the most users).

For instance, if you have 1,000 users in India and 30 in the United States, you will pay the US price for all of them, according to the new Odoo policy.

As a workaround, there are some options you can consider. You can try to negotiate with Odoo for special cases, or you can split your Odoo system into two separate ones (one for each country). The only downside is that you will also lose some multi-national integration. On the other hand, you will pay the local price for each system AND have more flexibility in applying different configurations for each system. 

If you want to learn more about Odoo pricing and the total cost of ownership (all the expenses related to buying, implementing, hosting, and supporting Odoo), we have prepared a summary document for you. Just click the link below and view it for free. 👇

View the Odoo Pricing Summary

Odoo tips of the week

This week, I want you to think about, “Why do YOU implement Odoo?”

A lot of people make the mistake of forgetting why they decided to implement Odoo in the first place. The impact? No clear vision of what they want to achieve with the ERP implementation.

You need to formalize all the reasons why you implement an ERP. Think about how much value it will add to your business. This will help you focus on making better decisions before and during your implementation. Here are some questions to guide you:

Before the implementation:

• What application or feature should be included in the scope of my implementation?

• How do I phase my project? Which applications need to roll out this year?

During the implementation:

• How do we prioritize the user requests for features or customizations?

• Have we covered everything in our scope? Do we have all the reports needed to achieve our expected business improvements? Does the planned ERP business process match our vision?

So, what could be the main reasons for implementing an ERP such as Odoo? They usually fall into 3 categories:

• You expect specific business metrics improvements such as growing your revenue, improving your margin, or reducing your inventory.

• You have the vision to change your business model with digital solutions, such as self-service (e-commerce, tablets to order in a restaurant, etc.) that will enhance your customer satisfaction and competitiveness.

• You need a solid IT backbone that supports your innovation goals (which are related to the previous two points).

It’s important to write down all the reasons why you want to use the software - specifically, how it will help your business. The video says it all. It is smart to “follow the money” and focus on the changes that will bring the biggest benefits.

The most common savings in ERP are:

1. Reducing “purchase expenses” with the Purchase app. Most companies spend 20-40% of their revenue on purchasing materials and services. However, they lack strong processes and systems for controlling it.

2. Optimizing your inventory by integrating the Inventory app end-to-end with Sales, Purchase (and Manufacturing). Generally, you will see a trend of improved customer satisfaction and inventory level reduction.

3. Better manage your Accounts receivable. Naturally, you’ll spend less time, reduce the number of write-offs, and increase your operating cash flow.

4. Reduce process inefficiencies due to systems and processes integration. This way you’ll reduce labor costs and human errors.

Portcities news

Last year, we finally migrated our internal ERP to Odoo 16 from Odoo 11! And this month, we finally migrated the remaining apps to Odoo 16: Accounting and Sales.

The migration took 3 months of preparation. Here is what we did:

• We migrated all our 12 legal entities to the new Odoo Accounting.

• We use a 99% standard Odoo setup for the Sales app. We also started to use the Sign app.

• We just started to use Odoo Knowledge for our sales & marketing team.

• We kept our current solutions for managing our KPI and group dashboard, using the OCA reporting engine + the BI solution Metabase: 

  • Click here for the OCA reporting engine Github

  • Click here for the BI solution Metabase

The expected business benefits?

• With Odoo quotation templates, now we can create quotes faster and easier. It helps us reach smaller businesses, who might have missed our offers before.

• The upgrade also improves our customers’ experience and saves time by signing contracts and quotes online

• Moreover, we increase the efficiency of our accounting team - thanks to the many usability improvements of the latest version

Quote of the week

"Walk the talk"

It’s a nice way to say that in business, leaders need to show an example by actually doing what they recommend. As such, we use Odoo a lot internally and in the most standard way.

This is also one of the reasons we migrated to the latest version, to showcase to our clients that we are also using the same system.

Last but not least…

Thank you so much for your time!

If you like the concept of the newsletter:

1. Please give some feedback so the newsletter can be improved. Put your comments on Substack or LinkedIn

2. Subscribe & Like!

3. Share this link on LinkedIn and with your friends! It helps the newsletter reach more people who might be interested in Odoo pricing and how to grow their business with Odoo. Plus, it shows your support 🙏

If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SMEs and larger enterprises and corporations

Looking forward to your continued support and engagement!

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We are back!

Many people asked me to share about Portcities and Odoo again.

We collected feedback and revamped our newsletter with a new approach with more snap content and Odoo. 

Our promises?
Make yourself an Odoo expert, so subscribe for exclusive pro tips, expert insights, and the latest news in the Odoo world! 

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Agenda

1. Odoo news

2. Odoo tips of the week

3. Case study

4. Portcities news

5. Quote of the week

1. Odoo news

If, like me, you enjoy listening to podcasts while running or traveling, then you should look at the Odoo podcast “Planet Odoo.” 

This week, they released a nice Podcast about the Birdiebox case study: https://www.odoo.fm/2108856/14277186-company-growth-customization-and-seamless-inventory-management-with-odoo?t=0

I like this podcast as it covers a variety of topics such as Odoo features, history, and anecdotes, management best practices, etc. And this episode specifically, mainly as it shows how it may help a business in practice. 

2. Odoo tips of the week

How to create several versions of your financial reports (P&L, Balance sheet, etc.)!

Why is it needed? Let’s consider the Profit and Loss (P&L) report. You typically need a P&L report compliant with the tax authorities for the tax reporting. Many companies also like to have other P&L reports for day-to-day management or group-level reporting.

In Odoo, you can easily create several templates to generate your reports in seconds every month. How to?

1. Activate the developer mode

2. Go to Accounting / Configuration / Management / Accounting Reports

3. Select your report (such as the “Profit and loss”), duplicate it

4. Configure it as follow:

   1. Give it a clear name. Example: “P&L Group reporting”

   2. “Root report”: is the base report from where your new alternative financial report will be available. In my example, I created an alternative P&L, so I select “Profit and Loss”

   3. “Availability”: Select “Always” (except if you have a multi-company environment and want to apply a different format per company or country)

   4. Adjust your P&L structure and formula.

Done!

Now, if you open your “Profit and Loss” report from the menu “Accounting / Reporting / Profit and Loss”

You have a new button to select the version of your P&L report you want to analyze.

Case study

This week, I’m happy to share a case study of our team about Veolia:

https://portcities.net/blog/du-an-odoo-erp-dien-hinh-3/odoo-case-study-veolia-pet-recycling-85

I like this case study for 3 reasons:

• It is a good example of a large corporation using a tier-1 ERP globally, plus Odoo, in many of their facilities or countries.

• It shows how a large company can start rolling out Odoo step by step, one country and business at a time.

• It demonstrates how Odoo can be an excellent alternative to SAP for a fraction of the cost.

Portcities news

We are closing 2024 with a new record quarterly revenue of $2,234k. 

Why did our revenue increase in Q4?

• The short answer is that we started a few big projects in Q3.

• If we analyze it a bit further, it is because of the sales we started in Q4 2022 and the salespeople we hired 1-2 years ago.

• By analyzing even further, it is thanks to the hundreds of happy existing customers that make up the bulk of our revenue. There is no shortcut to success.

Our top priorities for 2024 are:

• Scale up our sales & marketing teams.

• Standardize our offers to sell and deliver more efficiently.

• Improve the structure and quality of our coaching and training.

Quote of the week

Me: “Where is your scope and project plan?”

The Project Manager: “I use the agile methodology”. 

Me: ”Right…” (with irony) 🙂

Lesson learned: Working agile is not an excuse for not having a proper plan.
Implementation without good planning and controlling will likely go over budget and include bad customizations (because it is “free”).

Last but not least…

Thank you so much for your time!

If you like the concept of the newsletter:

1. Please give me feedback so we can improve: comment on Substack or Linkedin

2. Subscribe & Like!

3. Share the link on LinkedIn and with your contacts! It helps me 😉

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If you know someone who wants to implement Odoo, we offer implementation services for SME and for larger enterprises and corporations

I am looking forward to your continued support and engagement!

Hello and welcome to issue #17 of Odoo Trailblazer, our journey to become the #1 Odoo partner! This issue is about how to criticise your team rightly.

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My coach was amiable and passionate about the sport and will always ride with us to competitions on the other side of our little country. 

Those events were boisterous, but when fighting on the tatami, I would always hear him. He was louder than the crowd and the referee. 

He wanted us to win, cheering us and motivating us. He was always nice, even when we lost our games. But when we were not serious in our training or did a poor job, we would remember it. 

When he was angry at me, I didn't like it, so I did a good job most of the time.

My coach was cheerful but very tough sometimes, and I got an incredible few years of Judo with him. 

Thank you Didier Saublen.

In case you missed it, you can discover;

• The previous issues of this newsletter

• How we help companies to use Odoo

• How we assist other Odoo partners in implementing complex projects.

Agenda

1. Learning from Mistakes and the Importance of Actionable Advice

2. Authenticity, Emotion, and Productive Feedback in Team Collaboration

3. At Port Cities

Learning from Mistakes and the Importance of Actionable Advice

In business, a good coach also needs to motivate a lot, but sometimes he needs to be tough or even very tough.

Many new managers, team leaders or coaches are either constantly stressed and angry or afraid to be angry with their team. Both are wrong.

Giving soft advice instead of strong critics when your guy makes a mistake is inappropriate. 

Nobody wants to repeat the mistake. It's unpleasant to be condemned, as it is unpleasant to be burnt by fire. We're genetically built to remember to do either what gets us rewards or what prevents us from fears or pains. Soft advice is easy to take but not as helpful.

Authenticity, Emotion, and Productive Feedback in Team Collaboration

Second, you're giving the wrong signal. You'll be disappointed and maybe even angry if you genuinely care for something. 

Be authentic with your team, show your emotion and how much you care about the project.

However, remember that your subordinates have their own feelings, and too many critics won't be productive. Although being emotionally involved is good, you must also control the cheers and critics you share.

Ask yourself before giving any feedback if it's not counter-productive or inappropriate. Most people cannot take much feedback; it's hard for some. Do it when the stake is high.

At Port Cities

We're dedicated to redefining the roles, tools, and best practices for coaches and managers as we strive to be the #1 Odoo partner. 

Understanding the challenges of implementing an ERP system, we recognise that our success hinges on having an exceptionally motivated team with the proper learning and coaching habits.

In line with this, our key objective for 2023 is to enhance these areas by prioritising the development of coaches with diverse skills who continuously invest in their own growth. 

We acknowledge that mistakes in ERP implementation can be costly, underscoring the importance of coaches who guide, control, and hold their teams accountable.

To achieve this, we are committed to investing in our coaches, fostering a culture of accountability, and nurturing a positive team environment. 

How can improved coaching and management practices benefit a company? Please share your thoughts and insights.

Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates: Gaspard, the CEO, or our company page.

To know more about Port Cities, Odoo (business software), and our services (help your business with Odoo), visit our website.

When I was young, I was bad at communicating with my friends and at school.

As a child, I was socially insecure, and I struggled to make friends sometimes because I was uncomfortable communicating and often afraid.

When it was time to go to college, I wanted to enroll in Computer Science, but I was afraid of becoming a nerd and felt even more lonely. So I decided to become cool and joined a business school. I also did it to follow my best friend.

The business school professors didn't teach me to communicate, or not very well, but being in that environment changed my life, my ambition, and my career.

The college helped me to gain some confidence, but I was still bad at communicating. It started to improve a bit when I launched my business.

Suddenly I had to lead, inspire, motivate, criticise, praise, or dismiss employees. I also had to learn to speak publicly, pitch prospects, or negotiate with clients.

To be a successful CEO of an IT firm, it is more important to know about communication than IT or management.

Useful links

• Read previous issues and my LinkedIn posts.

• Check out Odoo and the data management solutions we use to help our clients to grow their businesses.

• If you are an Odoo partner and need corporate project experts, click here.

Communication was not my strength, and I still learn a lot daily, but here are the top 10 business communication lessons I have learnt so far.

1. Keep it simple.

2. Be specific.

3. We are less open-minded than we think

4. Tell memorable stories.

5. Listen and understand others' needs and emotions

6. Be nice more often.

7. Rarely give "brutal" feedback.

8. Be a good person and wish the best for others.

9. Remember what you're selling 

10. Smiling is the cheapest way to make your employee or client happy.

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1. Keep it simple

To communicate effectively, use plain words and keep sentences short. Focus on conveying one idea at a time, as simplicity is often more powerful than precision. Finally, remember to read your text aloud after writing it.

2. Be specific

This is the biggest mistake of most junior staff. They are too academic, try to make up generalities, and don't give enough details.

Don't say, "Complete the project as soon as possible." But instead, "Please complete the project by 5 p.m. on July 15th. The project should include a detailed analysis of our competitors' marketing strategies, focusing on their use of social media."

The second statement takes a few more seconds to express but will avoid back-and-forth communication, misunderstandings, or critical mistakes.

3. We are less open-minded than we think

Always remember that every story has multiple sides. Being truly open-minded means acknowledging that you may not be as open-minded as you think. Assume that you could be mistaken and be willing to learn. Instead of arguing, strive to comprehend different viewpoints.

Understanding that we are not open-minded by nature and less than we think helps us to listen better, especially when we disagree with them. 

4. Tell memorable stories

People often say a manager's job is to repeat the same thing ten times. But in practice, you can repeat ten times the same lesson and still see your employees or customers not doing it. Instead, tell them a memorable story. People don't learn your lessons but will remember your stories.

5. Listen and understand others' needs and emotions 

Take time to truly listen, understand their perspective, look at how they behave, feel how they are, and guess what they want.

In business, we often want people to do things. But it is important to understand their feelings and needs and understand them. If we do it, we'll get what we want from people.

6. Be nice more often

Most people are usually nice, but we can all be nicer and more often. It is important to cultivate kindness because it has the power to create meaningful connections and foster a positive environment. 

Being nice brightens someone's day and promotes empathy, understanding, and harmony in our interactions. 

Small acts of kindness can have a ripple effect, inspiring others to pay it forward and creating a chain of positivity that can impact individuals and businesses.

7. Rarely give brutal feedback

When giving feedback, it's best to be mindful of people's aversion to criticism. Only offer criticism if it will genuinely benefit your relationship. If you believe it will help, provide feedback promptly or shortly after the relevant event.

When giving feedback, prioritise effectiveness over niceness. While it may feel harsh, impactful feedback ensures lasting lessons and prevents future mistakes. 

Regardless of its delivery, feedback is rarely pleasant for both parties involved. Thus, reserve it for important matters and avoid frequent criticism.

8. Be a good person and wish the best for others

I did business with many dishonest, unfair, or selfish people. Most of them paid the price.

Tell the truth, or at least don't lie. Try to be fair to ensure everyone is okay and be a good person. Just wish the best for others, and the karma will pay you back.

9. Remember what you're selling 

People often forget why they communicate, what is the most important reason why they send this email, or what output or response they expect.

You're usually selling something, a product, an idea, a project, a task. You want your client to buy, your manager to approve, or your employee to follow.

Remember your goal, be results-driven, give enough to convince, and don't forget to ask what you want others to do.

10. Smiling is the cheapest way to make your employee or client happy

Smiling holds significant value as it can have a profound impact on both personal and professional interactions. It is a cost-effective alternative to boosting employee morale or providing client discounts.

A simple smile can create a positive atmosphere, enhance customer satisfaction, and foster a welcoming environment. 

So, don't underestimate the power of a genuine smile—it's a small gesture that can make a big difference in building strong relationships and promoting positivity.

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Conclusion

I wish I learnt these communication lessons in business school. But I’ve learnt now, and I continue to get better.

I cannot overemphasise the importance of communication skills, and every business person must learn. Effective communication fosters understanding, collaboration, and productivity within teams and across departments. It enables clear and concise conveyance of ideas, goals, and expectations, minimising misunderstandings and conflicts. Strong communication skills build trust, enhance relationships, and facilitate effective decision-making.

Did I miss anything important? Let me know in the comments.

Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates: Gaspard, the CEO, or our company page.

To know more about Port Cities, Odoo (business software), and our services (help your business with Odoo), visit our website.

Last year we implemented a shareholder agreement and formalised the structure of our board of directors. We finally had our first Board of Director session last Friday. 

The Board of Directors (BOD) is a vital corporate entity composed of elected individuals representing the company's stockholders.

Their primary focus is ensuring the company's progress towards its strategic goals, driving success and growth aligning with all stakeholders' interests.

Since that meeting, I’ve been thinking about our strategy. Ultimately, the strategy will give direction to all departments.

Still, it is closely related to the marketing strategy: what do we sell, to whom, and how do we communicate our products and offers?

This issue will discuss our marketing strategy and competitive advantage as an Odoo partner.

TL;DR

• We rely on the 4 Ps of the marketing framework; Product, Place, Price, and Promotion.

• Odoo’s simple pricing and constant improvement make it a great tool.

• We combine remote working arrangements and face-to-face to meet our clients' demands efficiently.

Useful links

• Read previous issues and my LinkedIn posts.

• Check out Odoo and the data management solutions we use to help our clients to grow their businesses.

• If you are an Odoo partner and need corporate project experts, click here.

Our Marketing Framework: Starting with the 4 Ps

We resolved that our marketing strategy will rely on the proven 4 Ps of the marketing framework: Product, Place, Price, and Promotion.

1. Product

Offer: Our offerings or product include a complete suite of Odoo solutions and the necessary technologies for seamless end-to-end implementation. This encompasses the Odoo community, Odoo Enterprise, cloud infrastructure, our data management solution (DACO), Business Intelligence (reporting platform), supply chain planning (frePPLe), and custom web development.

Industry Expertise: Having successfully delivered 300-500 projects, we have gained substantial experience across multiple industries. We utilise this expertise to provide standard vertical solutions, incorporating the best modules we have developed and implementing industry-specific best practices.

2. Place

Balancing remote work advantages with the value of face-to-face meetings, we recognise the importance of in-person interactions in certain project aspects. 

In complex or change-intensive IT projects, direct engagement is crucial. Our offices ensure accessibility while serving clients globally, with 30-40% benefiting from fully remote arrangements. 

We strive to optimise project outcomes by balancing remote collaboration for cost efficiency and face-to-face interactions, meeting diverse client needs effectively.

3. Price

The pricing offered to clients is divided into 2 components: Odoo license price and the cost of services sold by Port Cities. Odoo focuses on simplicity and affordability, with a simple structure for accessibility. 

In addition to software, our services are vital to make the digital transformation successful. With a tiered pricing structure based on consultant level (i.e. junior, intermediate, and senior staff have different hourly rates), we avoid the flawed uniform pricing model adopted by many Odoo partners.

Valuing experienced professionals, we strive for fair compensation that attracts and retains top talent, benefiting clients and industry sustainability.

Our commitment fosters a thriving ecosystem, ensuring clients and consultants receive the value they deserve.

4. Promotion

Promotion is not a core component of our strategy because our primary focus is delivering premium services and high-quality solutions to our clients. 

We recognise the potential benefits of promotion for advertising and capturing attention, and we remain open to exploring such opportunities if they align with our goals. 

Our commitment to delivering exceptional services, building a strong reputation, and ensuring client satisfaction naturally contributes to our growth and success.

Extra Items

5. Partnership

As we are before all a people business, we value partnerships and understand their significance. We have three distinct types of partners that play essential roles in our operations.

1. Clients: As an IT vendor, we view our clients as long-term partners. We prioritise solutions that create long-term value for our clients rather than accepting all their requests. We strive to keep our clients for 10+ years, recognising the value of sustained collaboration.

2. Odoo: Odoo holds a central position in our strategy and culture. We are dedicated to becoming the leading Odoo partner and their flagship partner, following their processes, approach, and culture. We work to materialise a mutually beneficial relationship.

3. Employees: In our service-based business, we understand the critical role of our employees as partners. Their expertise and commitment are vital to our success. We implement an employee-shareholder model to foster their long-term commitment, ensuring they actively participate in the value-creation process.

6. Customer Promises

#1 - Simplifying and automating your business processes, enabling growth and efficiency. 

#2 - We prioritise timely delivery and cost management for your Odoo projects, ensuring they are completed on time and within budget. 

#3 - Long-term support: keeping your IT safe, secure, and stable in the long term, but also ensuring that they constantly stay updated with any compliance, latest trends, and your business needs.

7. Competitive Advantage

At the core of our success lies our distinctive competitive advantage, which can be summarised in two key aspects; 

7.1 Competitive advantage as Odoo partner compared to other ERP solutions

Odoo's unique strengths contribute to this advantage, including its exceptional total cost of ownership, comprehensive all-in-one software, and unmatched flexibility for seamless integration and customisation. 

By harnessing the power of Odoo, we empower our clients with a superior ERP solution that optimises their operations and propels their business forward.

7.2 Competitive advantage compared to other Odoo partners

Compared to other Odoo partners, we stand out with our distinctive competitive advantage: effective project management, deep expertise in Odoo's business functionalities thanks to our Odoo focus and Center of Excellence, and large data management capabilities. 

We are also building various industry expertise.

8. Customer segments

Overall, our strategic positioning gives us a competitive advantage to tackle the mid-market and corporate customer segments, but we will remain open to delivering to all customer sizes.

Conclusion

We remain steadfast in our mission to empower businesses and foster success in the dynamic IT market, with Odoo as our trusted partner. 

In this issue, we have emphasised our marketing strategy and competitive advantages. Our dedication lies in streamlining processes, ensuring timely project delivery, and offering long-term IT support. 

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or inquiries about Odoo or our strategy. 

Stay tuned for more updates in the upcoming weeks.

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Follow us on LinkedIn for more updates: Gaspard, the CEO, or our company page.

To know more about Port Cities, Odoo (business software), and our services (help your business with Odoo), visit our website.

Have you ever encountered someone who holds the title of "VP of Sales," only to discover that they manage a sales team consisting of just one person? It's quite an amusing situation.

Today, I would like to discuss the topic of corporate titles and management roles.

During my time in business school, I aspired to become a manager. I desired the responsibility of leading a team, having control over budgets, and of course, the prestige of the managerial title.

Interestingly, many of my friends shared the same ambition, driven by similar motivations. However, the truth is that businesses do not necessarily require a multitude of managers, and most exceptional employees find little fulfilment in such roles.

The advent of new technologies that facilitate business communication, collaboration, and reporting begs the question: Do we still need managers?

Perhaps it is worth exploring and questioning the significance of their roles in today's evolving business landscape.

TL;DR:

• Businesses have too many bad managers.

• Organizations need and will need managers tomorrow, but fewer than before.

• Competitive and agile businesses of tomorrow have flat organizations and empower their employees, not just their managers.

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Useful links:

• Read previous issues and my LinkedIn posts

• Check out Odoo and the data management solutions we use to help our clients to grow their businesses.

• If you are an Odoo partner and need corporate project experts, click here.

My First Managerial Role

My first managerial role was at Ethnicraft, a furniture manufacturer, distributor, and retailer.
I worked hard and became a manager very quickly. Or at least I had a “manager” in my title, but I didn’t really get management responsibilities and the skills yet.
I was a “project manager” in charge of improving ops and implementing IT systems.

The truth is that I wasn’t empowered with a budget to manage, and I wasn’t correctly leading: the ERP modules I was installing weren’t aligned with the company’s strategic priorities, and we were often delivering late or not as expected.

I wasn’t ready to be a manager at that career stage.

I would have been happier to be a great ERP consultant. That would have been better for my employer as well.

The Bigger the Corporation, The Worst it Gets

Later, when growing my own business and seeing hundreds of clients, I noticed that most managers aren’t in the right place:

• They want to be there for the wrong reasons

• They aren’t skilled or engaged enough

• Their boss doesn’t empower them with actual responsibilities and authority

• The organization often doesn’t need a manager for that role

Still, I was expecting that the Managers, Heads, and VPs in large corporations would be true leaders.

Working with large businesses was a grand delusion. Many managers are unqualified or not essential to the company.

So I ask, do we still need managers?

What is The Role of a Manager?

Here is what a manager is supposed to do:

1. Planning & organization: he defines his team’s objectives aligned with the business, organizes team roles and responsibilities, and makes plans.

2. Leading & Controlling: He is responsible for ensuring tasks are completed, the team maintains high productivity, and assists individuals in enhancing their performance. He achieves these objectives by providing effective leadership and motivation to the team.

3. Staffing: he helps to properly hire, develop, promote, evaluate, and terminate when needed.

4. Decision making: they make the decisions at a sub-level of the organization, closer to the operations.

5. Communication: they facilitate communication between team members, senior management, and other stakeholders.

This is rarely the case. But even if it was, I’ll explain why managers aren’t needed anymore.

Why are Managers Becoming Irrelevant?

Business is changing for two reasons:

1. We constantly improve business practices and challenge the status quo.

2. Nowadays, technologies make it easier to communicate and manage, reducing the need for managers as we know it.

Here are a few practical impacts of technologies and modern management practices and how I would respond:

1. Digitize business processes & automate reporting. Business processes, such as the follow-up of customer orders, are entirely organized by enterprise software, and the performance, issues, or anomalies should be available in a global reporting tool, reducing the need for middle managers.

In practice: implement business software and a dashboarding (BI) tool. Make sure your top management uses it.

2. Decentralize decision-making and communication. Decisions are better than entirely centralized (taken at the top level) or fully decentralized (taken by the person doing the job). Organizations can empower their employees more as making decisions transparent and automating control becomes easier.

In practice: reduce the number of approval or decisions your top management takes as much as possible, and empower the people actually doing the job. Avoid any intermediary to decide and communicate: it’s either done at the top level or by the people doing the job.

3. Agile & lean organization. Managers are expensive and create politics and complexity. Not only do we have the opportunity to reduce overheads drastically, but the modern enterprise must be simple and flexible enough to innovate and evolve quickly.

In practice: cut your management position by two, and give all your employees more responsibilities and meaningful jobs. And pay them more if they work well, even if they are not “managers”.

Now What?

Clearly, I don’t say that we should stop having managers or even that we stop considering it as a challenging and rewarding job.

But we should re-imagine the role of the organization.

Here are my recommendations:

• Have much fewer managers, and get a flat organization.

• Give more responsibilities to more employees (including reporting, controlling, communication, planning, and budgeting).

• Eliminate intermediaries, people making decisions for someone else, people taking credit for others, or people communicating on behalf of the top management.

• Make other careers more rewarding.

• Make the manager job more selective, so the few managers you have are great.

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Useful links:

• Read previous issues and my LinkedIn posts

• Check out Odoo and the data management solutions we use to help our clients to grow their businesses.

• If you are a partner and need corporate project experts, click here.